This archive report was first published on 9 November 2019.
Deep in Western Kenya, a peculiar tradition has been practiced by the Bukusu community for generations. According to an elder from the region, men who live past 100 years are seen as a bad omen and are subsequently killed.
Published on November 9, 2019, the elder revealed that this tradition is rooted in the community's age set system, which is identified through circumcision rites. The system consists of eight age groups, each taking a period of 10 years to complete a cycle.
As the elder explained, 'Tradition dictates that a man should not live until the next cycle of his age set.' This means that when a man reaches the age of 100, he is considered to have completed his cycle and is therefore seen as a threat to the community's balance.
To appease the spirits of ancestors, a sheep is slaughtered and its blood sprinkled on the ground. In some cases, the elderly man is left in a forest alone without food, where he often starves to death. The rest of the meat is roasted and served with traditional food, while some is given to dogs to eat.
