Plaisirs croisés : gukuna-kunyaza. Missions, corps et sexualités dans le Rwanda contemporain

Based on ethnographic research in post-genocide Rwanda, this article analyzes how femininity is embodied through a ritual practice called gukuna, which consists of the elongation of the labia minora through a reciprocal massage between young women. This social construction of the female body, in add...

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Main Author: Michela Fusaschi
Format: Article
Language:fra
Published: Genre, Sexualité et Société 2012-12-01
Series:Genre, Sexualité et Société
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/gss/2571
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author Michela Fusaschi
author_facet Michela Fusaschi
author_sort Michela Fusaschi
collection DOAJ
description Based on ethnographic research in post-genocide Rwanda, this article analyzes how femininity is embodied through a ritual practice called gukuna, which consists of the elongation of the labia minora through a reciprocal massage between young women. This social construction of the female body, in addition to kunyaza, a traditional male sexual technique, is expected to facilitate pleasure during sexual intercourse. Through an analysis of colonial period texts as well as recent interviews, this article shows how this ritual, has persisted in the country despite its condemnation by the Catholic Church since the colonial time, and explores how it is being reinterpreted by women.
format Article
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spelling doaj-art-d54dc33b521b4556a59f893dccdc0e7e2025-01-09T13:06:25ZfraGenre, Sexualité et SociétéGenre, Sexualité et Société2104-37362012-12-01810.4000/gss.2571Plaisirs croisés : gukuna-kunyaza. Missions, corps et sexualités dans le Rwanda contemporainMichela FusaschiBased on ethnographic research in post-genocide Rwanda, this article analyzes how femininity is embodied through a ritual practice called gukuna, which consists of the elongation of the labia minora through a reciprocal massage between young women. This social construction of the female body, in addition to kunyaza, a traditional male sexual technique, is expected to facilitate pleasure during sexual intercourse. Through an analysis of colonial period texts as well as recent interviews, this article shows how this ritual, has persisted in the country despite its condemnation by the Catholic Church since the colonial time, and explores how it is being reinterpreted by women.https://journals.openedition.org/gss/2571bodyyouthfemale genital modificationCatholic ChurchRwanda
spellingShingle Michela Fusaschi
Plaisirs croisés : gukuna-kunyaza. Missions, corps et sexualités dans le Rwanda contemporain
Genre, Sexualité et Société
body
youth
female genital modification
Catholic Church
Rwanda
title Plaisirs croisés : gukuna-kunyaza. Missions, corps et sexualités dans le Rwanda contemporain
title_full Plaisirs croisés : gukuna-kunyaza. Missions, corps et sexualités dans le Rwanda contemporain
title_fullStr Plaisirs croisés : gukuna-kunyaza. Missions, corps et sexualités dans le Rwanda contemporain
title_full_unstemmed Plaisirs croisés : gukuna-kunyaza. Missions, corps et sexualités dans le Rwanda contemporain
title_short Plaisirs croisés : gukuna-kunyaza. Missions, corps et sexualités dans le Rwanda contemporain
title_sort plaisirs croises gukuna kunyaza missions corps et sexualites dans le rwanda contemporain
topic body
youth
female genital modification
Catholic Church
Rwanda
url https://journals.openedition.org/gss/2571
work_keys_str_mv AT michelafusaschi plaisirscroisesgukunakunyazamissionscorpsetsexualitesdanslerwandacontemporain