The Imbalu Candidate above knows his time of reckoning has come. To be recognised as a man in Bugisu,Eastern Uganda, one has to undergo Imbalu (Circumcision) and it’s no Joke.
The Black swamp mud smearing ritual that the guy above is being taken through does not take place in a domestic setting. It takes place in a muddy swamp associated with Kumusambwa Kwe’Imbalu, or the ancestral power of Imbalu.
It’s carried out partly to determine if one is intent on Imbalu. It’s the last stage of the three day Imbalu rituals. After this ritual, the Imbalu candidate is taken for the cut.