Femisphera - stejné ženy, jiný svět...

-  about journalistic trip realized thanks to the financial support of Czech Ministry of foreign affairs to media and journalists and enabling them to work on reports from the developing countries in 2009 within the Information and Cultural program about ZRS of the Czech Republic.

Date of the trip: 24. 10. – 15. 11. 2009

Place of report: Kenya, north-eastern province

Organizers of the trip: Olga Šilhová and Lenka Klicperová

Description of the project:
Kenya: Samburu – women from a different world
21st century versus traditions

Main goal: to map the life of Samburu women with special focus on female circumcision and its role in the traditional society.

Samburus belong to the most interesting, most colorful, but also to the most conservative tribes inhabiting Kenya. They are tightly connected to the well known Masai tribe, which is however even more decorative. Despite the pressure of the modern times they still keep their hundred years old traditions and costume including the ritual of female circumcision.

The organizers managed to contact a village located in the area of Samburu tribe. They got to the closest distance of local women, gained their trust and thanks to that they could spend with them nearly a week. Samburu women spoke with them openly about their problems, but also about female circumcision and frequent marriages connected to the ritual. Both ladies were allowed to record on camera and photograph in the village without a limit. Local women strive for enlightenment, for more human process during the circumcision even though they have not been able to emancipate from this traditional ritual yet.

The position of women in traditional Samburu society has been nearly unchanged for hundreds of years. Local society could not operate without women’s work. Woman is the one, who builds the home, takes care of children, has to collect wood and water every day and simply does all the work ensuring the survival of the whole family. However she is receiving only a minimum of acknowledgement for it in her life – in most cases her value does not go further than a value of several cows or goats. She can receive certain respect only at an old age (if she manager to survive until then). Life of Samburu women is connected to traditions, which are in context of the western world of 21st century condemnable and shocking, such as for example the female circumcision. Despite the fact that female circumcision is illegal, it still remains part of the Samburu women’s life. Uncircumcised girl is considered as unclean and not only that she will most probably not get married, but other women will look at her (despite that they knot how painful the ritual is and how many health problems can cause throughout whole life) as on a worthless thing.