By Samuel Byamugisha Kamanzi
According to Williams, Popular Culture is “culture which is well favoured or liked by many people”. To me, Culture are those elements of people’s way of life, as expressed in their unique languages and practices. In the Eastern Province of Uganda, there is a community of people called the Bagisu. Their total population is about 800,000 people, and they are the dominant community in Sironko, Manjya, Manafwa, and Mbale, Districts of Eastern Uganda.
Every year, this community practices what is called “Gisu traditional Circumcision Ritual”, which is by all standards an extremely popular aspect of their culture. The Ceremony takes place every August of each year, in all Gisu occupied areas ofUganda. It is so popular, that Local Governments of the four Districts have it on their District Budgets. They even take time to invite local and foreign dignitaries to attend it.
The ceremony is important to the Gisu people, because it serves as a unifying force, as it is common to all of them. It reinforces their pride and identity as a people. That is why they regard themselves as “Basani or Men”, and the rest of Ugandans who are not circumcised, as (Basinde or Boys).
The ritual involves the circumcision of all young men between the age of 18 and 25, in all the areas of Bugisu. It is normally a three day event. Teams if circumcisers move from village to village, starting with the clan which is thought to have began the practice, until all the villages are covered.
This ritual is important to the young boys, as it is their official initiation into manhood. As part of their preparation to face the knives, individual candidates for the initiation, spend many hours of sleepless nights, dancing and singing, in the company of hundreds of their village mates.
On the circumcision day, they are so tired that they don’t feel the pain, as their fore skins are cut off. Making them dance for long hours is designed to make them so tired, that during the operation, they don’t show any signs of fear. To show fear is termed “cursing one’s skin”, and it is considered permanent shame to the boy, the family, and their clan.
I think this traditional circumcision ritual, in the Bagisu Districts of Uganda, perfectly suits William’s definition of Popular Culture, because of it popularity with all the clans of Bagisu, and its importance in reinforcing their common identity as a people. Infact, it is so popular that all young men in Bugisu, have either to get circumcised, run away from Bugisu, or face forced circumcision.
Williams talks about popular festivals such as Christmas as some of the forms of popular culture. As a Christian, I pay attention to Christmas festivities. I fully participate in many activities on the annual Christmas calendar. I actually enjoy the festive season, participating in exchanging gifts with friends, and attending parties. This is how, as an individual, I relate to these definitions.
