Of Female genital mutilation: Does tradition have to be so painful?

Photo: scene of teens for mutilation

I almost forgot to have a meeting to attend on zoom by Africaniwa, - a medium through which African voices are heard, correcting some wrongs not only to women but both gender (if another gender is not yet known to the African people). Thanks to Google calendar for reminding me of such a meeting. The meeting was starting 7 pm - 9 pm WAT, I was just arriving from work, and I had no option but to take the food from the freezer and do some heating, there was a need to do what I learned from my Mum, 'Multi tasking'. 

In between, I had a registered thought if the organizer won't champion the recent talk of gender equality and feminism. I was wrong as what the event turned out to be made me forget my earlier thought and worries. Touched I became during and after the meeting. Thank you Africaniwa!

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Africaniwa: what's all about it?

Africaniwa is a word I believe is coined from the Nigeria tribe Yoruba text joined with Africa. Literally 'We are Africans'- Niwa in Yoruba is we are. I can be so thousand thinking, forgive me for overthinking.

But really, are a group/community of passionate lovers of photography. Telling the African story through photography, and thus inspiring social cohesion among Africans.

Africaniwa has hosted a couple of times events that take us to the past, access the present, and prepare us for the future, as far as we can imagine. These events include but are not limited to talks on Afro hair - Hairxpress, Dear African woman, visiting Umoja, and more. 

The Topic: FGM

FGM -This is the practice, traditional in some cultures, of partially or removing the external genitalia of girls and young women for non-medical reasons. I almost cry as the resource person took us through the challenges they face, and what resolve they got after being a part of the group. "Without being judgemental, I don't face people who did it, but why others should not go through the same channel in the modern world said Edon, a UK base midwife who now majors at the fore of the fight against the concreted tradition. 

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This definition is important to clear the air of some ignorant people, who don't like to hear about women suffering and people who believe they know what it is but lives in the unknown. This meeting opened my eye to some areas, in particular, Kenya where this practice is highly performed. It's regarded as the highest form of maturity for girls to transcend into womanhood. It's so much celebrated to the extent that a girl can't get engaged until it's done. This pressure alone is pain!

This barbaric tradition most times lead to death due to the excessive bleeding and unhealthy practices either through instruments used in cutting the genitals (used blade) and some unwholesome practices of tying the legs together with rope, pouring ashes to stop the blood, and even seclusion until the cut person is believed to be ripe for the public. Oh my God!

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The Question - Does Tradition have to be so painful?

NO! In a modern world of western civility, norms, and best practices, traditions ought not to be painful. I recall we were told in tales of the ages that rituals are done with human blood, and kings were buried alongside their slaves, but all this is now a thing of the past, which the Yoruba people call "Oti di afisenyin ti egun fi so". Indeed Change is always constant, let's change our style and pattern.

Concluding, the percentage of people involved in this activity is not a priority, but the message here is " as much as we choose to maintain some traditions, the more we should think of a simpler way to go about it and in the long run as we drastically reduce the act we may also consider abolishing the painful tradition. Women's lives matter!