N. Johansen Ritah

Knives of Sebei (Women, Ritual and Power) N. Johansen Ritah

The Sabiny have performed female circumcision as a cultural practice that initiates adolescent girls into adulthood/womanhood. However in the recent past, the community has come under sharp criticism from the Ugandan government and other concerned parties such as non-governmental organisations. This has not deterred the Sabiny from performing female circumcision every even year. In this study I explore the reasons why female circumcision is continually practiced among the Sabiny despite the sensitization done by the government and different non-governmental organisations to show this community the dangers of the practice. Among the Sabiny, the practice is termed as wonsetibik while the WHO describes the practice as "all procedures involving partial or total removal of the female genitalia whether for cultural or other therapeutic reasons". The research was guided by three goals which included, analysing the power dynamics behind female circumcision, examining the perception of the Sabiny towards female circumcision and finally to analyse the conflict between traditional societal structures and external forces such as the Ugandan Law and Advocacy programs.