shame, disgrace, dirtiness, and dishonor that provided a psychological shock,
madness, disgust, and mystery around the entire movement. It is important to
note that they were unified in participating in this experience because it bound
them together and remained a memorable and secret moment.
It is difficult to describe the ceremonial practices that involved sexual acts
between participants, partly because of the level of secrecy and the bond of the
oath. The reality is that there are some things that we will never know that
occurred; therefore, we can only pull together scattered pieces. Ceremonies in
different parts of Africa involved the practice of copulation; and these acts were
not new to some of these traditional ceremonies.47
During Mau Mau, there were references to nudity, beating, and sexual
gestures with objects while taking the oath.48 For example, in one recorded
statement, an oather explains, “They told us to take off our clothes at the
beginning of this oath and later we were beaten.”49 Sexual abuse and beating
often work together in forms of humiliation and bodily degradation. Most of these
sexual acts were done while saying vows that the oath would kill or destroy if
broken. These acts were symbolic because of the vile nature of the acts that
helped make the experience for participants more united and secretive because
they would not want to discuss these acts and acknowledge the repulsion of the
47 Ngomlokojo, Rituals OfReligious Worship Among the Traditional Alur, 51-55.
48 KNA MLA 11/93 - CC 204/55 Rex vs. Kabibya p. 2 example of nakedness during oathing ceremony;
Interview, P. Musuo, January 2009, Machakos District, discusses various sexual activities associated with
body parts and sexual gestures used to invoke the oathing process; also see Clough, Mau Mau Memoirs,
109.
49 Testimony of Kasina Nguku, Case file 127 notes, KNA MLA 1/1007-CC 127/1954. Rex vs. Harun Waau
Mutisya, Philip Nthekani Mwo, and Sounsza Kandu, 5.
94