Imbalu: Ritual of Manhood of the Gisu of Uganda

Richard Hawkins
1989
1 hour and 9 minutes

 

Traditional Surgeons from Mbale Sub-region have requested government for support to help them improve their services to the people. They want facilities like gloves, gumboots and sterilizing equipment. While performing initiation rites of traditional circumcision among the Bamasaba of Mbale Sub region, every traditional surgeon is required to register with the Ministry of health to conform to the standards of the Ministry. But traditional circumcision is reverered among the Bamasaba in which the candidate must endure the knife of a traditional Surgeon to ritually transit from boyhood to manhood. 

This film deals with male circumcision among the Gisu of Uganda. The film tells of one participant through the ritual and contrasts his hopes and anxieties on this important day of his life with the expectations of the rest of the village and the rude remarks of his circumcisers. The narrative follows one male participant through the ritual and contrasts his hopes and anxieties on this important day of his life with the expectations of the rest of the village and some rude remarks of his circumcisers.

Anthropologist: 
Suzette Heald
Africa: