The Continuing Paradox of Traditional Female and Male Circumcision among Kuria in Northeastern Tanzania

Auteurs-es

  • Nandera Ernest Mhando Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

DOI :

https://doi.org/10.3138/anth.60.1.a03

Mots-clés :

Personnalité, rites de passage, circoncision, classe de circoncis, Kuria, zone du lac Victoria, Tanzanie

Résumé

À partir de considérations ethnographiques, cet article explore les raisons de l'échec des campagnes de lutte contre la circoncision féminine et la circoncision masculine traditionnelle chez les Kuria, une communauté ethnique installée dans le nord-est de la Tanzanie. Outre le fait que la circoncision joue un rôle central dans l'acquisition d'une personnalité à part entière au sein de la société traditionnelle, ce rituel a d'importantes implications socio-économiques et politiques tant pour les hommes que pour les femmes, y compris en termes d'accès aux ressources, aux postes politiques et au soutien socioéconomique. Malgré l'opposition farouche des acteurs étatiques et non étatiques, les femmes non circoncises font l'objet de stigmatisation sociale, de moqueries et de sanctions. Par conséquent, si la circoncision féminine est dénoncée dans le discours international, les mutilations génitales féminines se poursuivent sans relâche. De même, bien que des services de santé modernes soient disponibles pour la circoncision masculine médicale – laquelle a un fort potentiel pour limiter la propagation du VIH/SIDA –, les garçons Kuria ont recours aux formes traditionnelles de circoncision. Cet article souligne l'importance de comprendre le discours local si l'on veut éradiquer la circoncision par des moyens plus éclairés.

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Comment citer

Mhando, N. E. (2018). The Continuing Paradox of Traditional Female and Male Circumcision among Kuria in Northeastern Tanzania. Anthropologica, 60(1), 300–313. https://doi.org/10.3138/anth.60.1.a03