In the middle of the story, Wamuhu's parents suspect that John is interested in marrying their daughter. While Wamuhu's mother is excited by the prospect, Wamuhu's father is doubtful that John would pursue Wamuhu because she is circumcised. Female circumcision, also known as female genital mutilation (FGM), has been practiced in parts of Africa and the Middle East for centuries. Usually, girls are circumcised between the ages of infancy and fifteen years old.
In the West, female genital mutilation is fervently condemned. The World Health Organization opposes FGM of any kind, as it has no health benefits for women and can often lead to infection, excessive bleeding, and complications in childbirth. FGM is considered by the Western world a violation of human rights as it is a painful procedure with no basis in medical reasoning.
Thus, in the story, Wamuhu's father suspects that because of John's Eurocentric upbringing, Stanley would prohibit him from marrying a circumcised woman. The story treats FGM not as an issue that is up for debate but instead as something that is of traditional value to tribal culture and that the Christian villagers have rejected. Thus, the story does not necessarily endorse FGM. Instead, it laments the fact that Wamuhu and John would be kept apart by their parents, specifically by Stanley, who would prohibit the marriage and further the gap between Christian and non-Christian families in the village.
