Today was supposed to be a good day-her birthday. Instead, she was lying in pain from an inflicted wound.
I hate how girls have to undergo this ritual, she thought. This is inhuman!
She looked at the other girls. They were either crying, asleep, or very uncomfortable from the infliction.
In total, they were about fifteen of them, roughly the same age. Their ages were roughly between 13 and 15. The dreaded ritual was the guaranteed passage to womanhood.
For that night, she slept at home. She was in pain, but she felt like hers waa nothing compared to some of the other girls.
At fourteen, Rita Sanaipei was easily one of the most important girls in her village. Her father was a medicine man, and his skill was renowned far and wide. As such, his family was well known throughout the Maasai community, and to the neighbouring Samburu too.
When she was born, people came to ask for her hand in marriage. By the time she was ten, she had to be escorted to and from school. Her brothers were very protective of her. However, with time, they left to become morans and defend their lands.
She was left all alone with her oftenly quiet mother, and her strict father who followed her progress carefully. She didn't mind it anyway, as she was always studying.
She had just come from school one day with her friend Nashipai when she saw their cow pen being filled with animals. Nashipai and her hid behind a granary and watched a man older than her father address her father in a pompous manner. On closer scrutiny, they both realized that he was the chief from one of the bigger villages.
"You are getting married soon," Nashipai spoke, unable to shut up because of the shock.
"But... he is so old!" Sanaipei spoke, getting angry. She had half a mind to get up and go yell at both men. However, she kept her emotions in check and instead watched them strike the deal that would end her bright future.
After the old chief left, and they were sure no one would see them, Nashipai and her discussed what would be done. They couldn't come up with anything to stop the next thing looming above their heads-circumcision.
"I am scared,"Nashipai said with a frightened expression on her face.
"Me too. But you know how hard it to escape the procedure."
Sanaipei knew they would all sleep in one house. They would then be awoken in the morning and escorted to the place of circumcision. It was right next to a huge stone.
A girl was expected to be brave. Both girls doubted they were.
That was how Sanaipei found herself lying on her pallet, in less pain because of a herbal conconction her father had ordered her to drink. It made her drowsy too.
"Sleep my daughter," she heard her mother say as she covered her with a shuka.
That's exactly what Sanaipei did.
