Stigma of traditional beliefs.

 

My cousin Adaya was to be married in the next four market days, but before the marriage day due processes needed to be adhered to. The first week known as "the week of fattening" is known to be a week where the bride to be is said to stay in her hut and do nothing at all. She is forbidded to do any chores whatsoever, she eats four times daily sleeps anytime she wants. She is given an oil believed it was made by gods which aids her skin to glow.

Every female in Oyoma village looks forward to this week forgetting the mystery of the second,third and fourth week.

I entered my cousin hut on the first day of second week,"the week of circumcision." There I met her crying deeply, her voice was filled with sadness and graveness.

"Adaya please stop crying, you will be fine, just stop."

"How can u tell me to stop crying, when I'm walking straight to my death." She questioned with sadness

"The gods will be with you that day, I  assure you , just believe." My voice was already shaky.

" Kamara......my mum died of this same thing, I don't want to do it."

"There is nothing you can do, it is part of our tradition." I said solemnly.

"No ......kamara we can run away....." She whispered with her neck bent.

"Shut up......! or the gods will strike us dead if they hear that from your mouth." I raised my voice.

"So you want me to die." She bent her neck again and cried deeply.

"Don't worry you won't die, just stop hurting yourself."

The next day was the fateful _day of circumcision_
I was in adaya hut when priestess Yakama, her two slaves and our midwife came.The priestess walked  inside and ordered me out, I looked at adaya, she was deeply crying,  with finger crossed I went out and stayed at beside the windows. Yakama brought out a sharp knife and an ancient plate.

"Separate her legs!" she commanded
Adaya was half naked and wasn't stable.
The priestess bent down, held the knife on the left hand and used her right to hold out her clitoris and ZAP! went the knife on her foreskin.

Adaya shook,  shouted and became restless, she shouted until she lost her voice, she cried so much and expressed utmost grief, she saw death, but still fought with all her strength. I could hear her breathing loudly.

Yakama used a cloth to stop the blood from pouring out but it didn't cease.....she saw me preeing through the windows and  closed the windows with anger.

I went to sit on the stool in front of the hut waiting for my cousin.
Three hours passed yet no one had come out, soon the door was opened, they all came out...Yakama looked at me and shooked her head.

"Your cousin is not a strong woman."
With that I ran inside and saw my dear cousin soaked in her blood. I held her hand but she didn't move.  Fear fell on me and clunged on my skin with its claws. " No, she can't die." I told myself. I bent down and checked her pulse, the tears that flowed had no boundary. She was still, no movement, no sound.

I left the hut after covering my cousin's body.

How I miss my cousin till now.

_Let the pen create
Praise writes_