Celebrations to mark the Maragoli and Tiriki cultural practices this year have been disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has left the community ravaged by infections as the festive Christmas season approaches.

For the first time in four decades, the annual Maragoli Cultural Festival in Vihiga County will not be held this year following a decision by the elders.

The popular cultural event is usually held on December 26 after the usual fanfare on Christmas Day.

Similarly, the century-old Tiriki traditional circumcision, which has been a uniting factor every five years, was for the first time marred by confusion with elders reading from different scripts over the decision to postpone the ritual.

Sections of Tirikis defied the elders’ advice against holding the fete and there are fears among the Maragoli that sections of elders and locals might defy the postponement order.

The Vihiga Cultural Society which organises the annual festival has announced  cancellation of the Maragoli event, which is popularly known as "Utamaduni Day", citing the Covid-19 pandemic.

The society’s chairman, Mr Hezron Azerwa, says the huge crowds estimated at 50,000 people who usually attend every year, cannot be accommodated at the traditional venue in Mbale due to its size and the government ban on public gatherings.

The first event was held in 1980. Mr Azerwa is urging locals to heed the postponement decision and elders are also using the political leadership to prevail upon people to heed the advice.

“We are asking our people to bear with us,” said Mr Azerwa while pledging to make the 2021 celebrations bigger to make up for this year's loss.

Supporters to follow suit

Mr Alfred Agoi (Sabatia MP) and Mr Ernest Ogesi (Vihiga MP) agreed with the decision and urged their supporters to follow suit.

"The elders and the society have decided on the way forward. We are faced with Covid-19 and the government has issued protocols to be observed in containing the disease," said Mr Agoi.

He said the event attracts national leaders and causes national debate. For instance, it is during the event in 2018 where Jubilee Vice-Chairman David Murathe sensationally started the debate on whether the Kikuyu community has a political debt to Deputy President William Ruto.

The matter rages on to date with Dr Ruto feeling sidelined by the government he helped form.

Earlier in 2017, Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa was forced to leave the venue of the Maragoli cultural celebrations after members of the public shouted at him and pelted him with stones.

This was happening at the height of the cracks caused by the 2017 General Election that had led to sharp divisions between supporters of the ruling Jubilee Party and then opposition National Super Alliance (Nasa).

A similar decision by elders to postpone the traditional circumcision rites within the neighbouring Tiriki sub-tribe led to confusion with elders split and locals expressing defiance.

After missing the August circumcision date due to the effects of the virus, the restless members of the Tiriki sub-tribe caused confusion and cracks among their elders in November when they defied an advisory against holding the circumcision rite this year.

Families in Shiru, Cheptulu, Muhudu and Shamakhokho, commonly referred to as Tiriki East, opted to perform the ritual with backing from a group of elders. Families in Tiriki West decided to heed the elders’ advice and did not carry out the cut.

Council of Elders chairman Oscar Bulemi, who hails from Tiriki West, dismissed carrying out of the rite,  but the council’s secretary, Mr Jairu Lipala, said the exercise was undertaken because of pressure from parents and a section of restless elders who feared the boys could be taken to hospitals for the cut, thus undermining the culture.

“We never circumcise our boys during hunger times,” Mr Bulemi said and added: “Whatever (the conduct of circumcision in Tiriki East) happened is destructive to our community and we are not party to it.”

Circumcision is an elaborate ceremony among the Tiriki and was last held in 2015. This means that 2020 was the next interval, according to the routine.

The ceremonies last a month and involve traditional songs, drumbeats and dance. The cut boys are taken to live in a forest until they recover and at times come out of the forest donning traditional attire to take part in the song and dance.

Their faces are usually covered and every initiate carries a decorated stick - symbolising their transition from childhood to adulthood.
To this community, circumcision signifies cultural growth while shedding of blood binds the boys to their ancestors.

Mr Lipala, an elder who supported the carrying out of the circumcision rite last month and who hails from Tiriki East, said there will be no room for the fete to be held next year as the school calendar will not have long breaks.

He said that parents pressed elders to support the idea.

Mr Bulemi, however, warned that elders will meet in January next year to decide on what to do with people who disobeyed the ban on the rite.

Similar defiance was witnessed in Bungoma, Trans Nzoia and parts of Kakamega where elders defied the Ministry of Health coronavirus guidelines and oversaw the traditional circumcision ceremonies.

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