When boys and girls turned 15, they became adults in their village. This happened when their lower front teeth were taken out. For girls, this meant they were ready to get married. But how did they find someone to marry? Well, when a girl went to fetch water or to the market, a boy who wanted to marry her would chase her. If he caught her, she would become his wife. But first, she had to pass a special test to prove she was a virgin. That story is for another day.
Anyango was a beautiful girl from Kanyamwa village. She had just turned 15, and her six lower teeth had been taken out and were healing. This meant she was ready to get married! Many boys wanted to marry her, but she did not want to. It was now a race to see who would catch her first.
One day, Anyango was at the market when two men started chasing her. She did not want to get married, so she ran as fast as she could. She jumped over a fence but hurt her leg badly. She screamed because of the pain, but she kept running, bleeding and hurting.
Her suitors were just as determined and finally caught her. The man who caught her took her home and used herbs to treat her wounds. Then, she had to wait for the next step: the virginity test. Anyango was allowed to rest for a day while the village prepared for the test. Even though she did not want this, she could not stop it.
On the day of the test, some older women spread a white sheet on the bed to watch the test. Anyango, still hurt and crying, was brought to the bed with her wounds covered. She was scared and in pain, but no one seemed to care. After the test, blood stains appeared on the sheet. This meant she was a virgin. She was now officially the wife of the man who caught her.
A few days later, Anyango’s wounds got infected. She became very sick. The village decided to take her to a hospital many hours away. While at the hospital, Anyango became friends with a nurse. Together, they made a plan for Anyango to escape.
On the day she was supposed to leave the hospital, the nurse and other helpers paid her bills and helped her leave early. They took her to a safe place where she stayed for a while. Later, Anyango married a kind man from another tribe. He was a teacher, and this time, the marriage was by choice. They had seven children together.
Anyango is 84 years old today. She lives to share her story and teach others about what she went through.
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