Performing antagonisms and crossing gender boundaries through body praxis in the Bukusu circumcision ritual

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to discuss how the Bukusu perform antagonisms and cross-gender boundaries through body praxis in their circumcision ritual. During the Bukusu circumcision ritual, participants naturally engage in ritual banter, clownish impersonations, dances and widespread transvestism, which act as both the literal and symbolic facilitators for acts of “performative” gender roles, masculinity and antagonisms. In many respects, the Bukusu circumcision ritual presents a scenario whereby the participants’ behaviours reveal a deep performance of shift of gender roles and dramatisation of antagonisms and where the ritual conversations, jokes, dances, excessive lewdness and mimics permeate all aspects of the ritual. By employing ethnographic methods and using the Carnival Ambivalence Theory, this paper explores patterns of performative antagonisms and gender boundaries in the Bukusu circumcision ritual. The reason why the ritual is central to the entrenchment of masculinity and authority through their displays as being so pronounced is suggested by considering the performances containing the contradictions between the different sexes and ages. The paper concludes that the meanings manifest in these elements thematise issues concerning personhood, masculinity, gender, status and marriage life.