For instance, some Kenyans still practice polygamy. A strong tradition says that when a husband dies, the wife must be inherited, or taken by a relative. If the deceased man died of AIDS, the wife usually is infected as well. When tradition is upheld, AIDS is passed on to the relative, all of the other wives and subsequent children. I witnessed another tradition that kills.
Circumcision is a deeply rooted custom in Kenya.
Once every five years, boys between the ages of 13 and 18 are circumcised. This is done as part of a multiple-day festival with much tradition and ritual. I saw boys, dressed in loincloths and covered in mud from head to toe, being escorted by family and friends to be circumcised amid much banging of drums, dancing and celebration. The boys are not anesthetized, and must not flinch or show any sign of pain. The circumcision is performed by a leader of the tribe.