In a remote Ugandan region, a sacred circumcision ritual faces a contentious test of purity

The ritualized circumcision of thousands of boys, known as Imbalu, began Aug. 3 in a remote corner of Uganda and will continue until the end of 2024. But this year the local king has opened the festivities to the public, with $120,000 from the Ugandan government and a corporate sponsor. The decision has raised eyebrows among many Bamasaaba, an ethnic group of 4 million. Can this ritual be turned into a carnival, put on for the gaze of foreigners? Or should it remain a sacred ceremony in which families quietly prepare their sons to face the knife with courage?