CARIAMANGA PREGUNTA Nro

Charles Nyamiti has drafted a model that could be used to Christianise initiation rites. In this method, “the initiation sacraments are made to penetrate into tribal

26

Charles Nyamiti ‘African Rites of Initiation’ SERVICE no. 3, 1979, pp 4-13.

initiation ritual as a whole, in such a way that the latter becomes, as it were, transformed into initiation sacraments” (1971:19). This approach also entails that during the transformation stages initiation rites will also lose their ‘fundamental meanings (i.e. tribal and pubertal).’ Nyamiti also notes that while the two types of initiation bear some resemblances with each other, they also are fundamentally different such that “a transition from one type to the other implies an immense hiatus” (1971:19-20). While this may be true, Nyamiti’s focus is on the resemblances since it is through these that cultural initiation rites are viewed as preparatory for initiation sacraments. So Nyamiti uses the analogies between the two entities “as channels through which the Christian mysteries will penetrate the tribal rites” (1971:20). In this way the central meaning of the tribal initiation rites are transmuted into the initiation sacraments.

In this process, it is envisaged that on the one hand the initiation sacraments will be presented as much as possible in a culturally relevant manner while particular tribal elements will face adaptability to the sacramental status based on its compatibility with the Christian mysteries. It appears Nyamiti here also takes time to look at the different parts that make up the rites so that each element is admitted into the sacramental system in accordance with how it stands in relation to the precepts of the Christian mysteries. Nyamiti is clear that the tribal elements will be subordinated to the Christian rites but if there happens to be tribal elements that do not necessarily bear resemblance to the Christian sacraments of initiation such elements should not be excluded even though they do not need modification. Instead these can still be engrafted so long as they do not obliterate the Christian message. According to Nyamiti this will leave us with a Christianised initiation rite and an Africanised sacrament.

While the ideas presented by Nyamiti, can most probably work well within the Roman Catholic system or any other mainline church that has similar structures, care still needs to be taken so that people are onboard as to the theological underpinnings of such integration or transformation. Mere integration with an existing Christian practice cannot be taken for granted that it will produce the desired results as the original content of the traditional practice might still be at

work in people’s minds. In Masasi for instance, some church circles intertwine the tribal rites with Christian aspects such as prayers, worship etc., but the problems which have been raised in this thesis still persist up to the present day.

Nyamiti’s effort in Christianising the initiation rites in the manner described above represents efforts which most theologians and clergy are occupied with in real pastoral settings. So while he is helpful in shedding light on the fact that there are indeed elements in tribal initiation that are still a cause of great concern in African Christian communities it may be suggested at this stage that effective transformation of rites needs to go beyond Christianisation by integration. What I mean is, when the focus of Christianisation is put on integrating the rite into a Christian sacrament, say in this case, confirmation, much effort may be put on drawing correlations between the cultural practice and Christian doctrine rather than doing actual inculturation with the rite. Inculturation suggests that the rite is taken as it is without an a priori integrative modification framework. The problem is that dialogue within such a framework would already be predetermined as the tribal rite would need to agree with an already existing sacrament which might not have been aimed at the same end as tribal rites. It needs to be understood that these two rites have different aims and approaches. According to Mugambi (1989b:99) cultural initiation came at inevitable stage in one’s social development, while in Christianity initiation mostly depended on one’s understanding of prescribed doctrines and his/her catechist/priest’s opinion of his/her doctrinal apprehension. The former came with physical maturity and aimed at marriage while the latter depended on apprehension and recitation of doctrines stated in the catechism.

As such it may be best to treat each rite differently so that each one retains its inherent meanings, purposes and processes. If there is need for integration then the Christianisation activity should take precedence before integration. What I mean is this, if we are going to use Nyamiti’s procedure of transformation by integration, as one might call it, the theology in this thesis stipulates that both separate items are to individually undergo separate inculturative-transformative

processes before they are united. This means that tribal rites will need to be transformed into a fully fledged acceptable rite on their own right before they can be made to integrate with existing sacramentals. This approach ensures that the rites will be transformed for what they are envisaged to be and not for conformity to a distinct entity. Treating cultural initiation rites this way will help evade the temptation to subsume them into already established confirmation sacraments.

This calls for an overhaul of the rite which makes it possible to intentionally deal with key problematic areas such as moral education and in particular sex related material taught within rites. These are otherwise subjects that fall outside the scope of the regular Christian confirmation sacrament. As such in trying to deal with direct issues such as improper education to initiates, there needs to be developed a system which aims at the specific issues facing the initiates so that the curriculum of the pedagogy bears directly on the people and the issues intended. If this is not done, some key objectives of Christianising initiation may be missed. Part of the purposes of incarnating the Word in a society is that it dialogues with problematic elements of the culture and administers possible change. As such, a relevant, well inculturated, biblically based curriculum of initiation rites should produce a reasonably transformed African Christian outlook of the rites.