The name is absent

Life Stages

Purification was used in ceremonies to mark specific life events such as
birth, initiation, and death. For example, Joseph Muthiani mentions two specific
purification practices associated with births. One was used at birth to purify
sexual offenses committed by the family; however, the more involved rite was
called “seeing the baby.”⁵³ This rite consisted of cutting the stomachs out of two
goats to make a root and herb medicine, ngondu, and stirred with a mutaa⁵⁴ herb
which was applied to the eyelids of those involved in the ceremony to see the
baby. The ritual specialist held the hand of the baby, the left hand for girls and
the right hand for boys, and placed the baby’s hand on each member. One by
one the medicine man guided each participant to open their eyes to see the baby
as the baby’s hand touched each family member.⁵⁵

Puberty and adolescence was another important life stage for purification.
It was applied during puberty in circumcision ceremonies, at marriage by sexual
abstinence for the first two days of marriage, and at death related to violations on
the handling of the dead body. At death, the entire society was viewed as
unclean until purification rites were conducted to cleanse the village, which
occurred the third day after the death.⁵⁶ The use of purification rites at various
points in life provided rules for restoring the society to an ordered state. The act

⁵³ Muthiani, Akαmbα From Within, 51.

⁵⁴ Also referred to as Mataa or Mtaa

⁵⁵ Muthiani, Akamba From Within, 52. Interviews also discussed these mixtures in detail (can place pictures
of the images or save for under the ritual details)

⁵⁶ Muthiani, Akamba From Within, 104.

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