The Samburu initiated their boys once every fourteen years. During this rite of passage, a young boy moved up the societal hierarchy to become a moran (warrior). Because of the length of time that elapsed between one ceremony and the next, there was usually a large number of initiates at one go.
The first requirement of the initiates was to trek up Mount Nyiro to collect resin from a specific tree and sticks which would later be fashioned into bows and arrows. Before setting out, each initiate was given a blue beaded necklace and a black-dyed hide to use as a cover-up. As they made their way to the sacred mountain, they sang a song called labarta, traditionally sang while making this trip. When climbing Mount Nyiro, the boys also collected small tree branches and moss which was regarded as a blessing from nature.
On the morning of circumcision, current morans gather around the initiates and sing songs of encouragement. The mother of the initiate would take a gourd and fill it up with milk to be used later on in the ceremony. As the mothers fetched the milk, the initiates lined up outside their bomas (huts) waiting for the circumciser to arrive. Just like the Kipsigis, these bomas were built specifically for this rite of passage, but in this case the women were tasked with this job and each boma was built close to the parents’ house.
When the circumciser arrived, they boy was first given a sip of milk from the mother’s gourd. Once circumcised, the initiate is lifted onto a cowhide by morans and carried into his boma. Singing is taken up once every initiate has undergone this procedure, and the community praises the young men’s bravery. A bull would then be slaughtered and the blood would be given to the initiates to drink.
During the recovery, the initiates fashioned bows and arrows out of the resin and sticks collected on Mount Nyiro and began to practice hunting. A month later after fully healing, the community would host a ceremony for the new morans. Red ochre was smeared onto their hair as a symbol of the strength and courage they showed during circumcision.