"The Samburu tribe of Northern Kenya is an age-set based culture, where males in the community go through phases of life together in fifteen-year groupings. The most eagerly anticipated phase for a Samburu male is that of moving on from being a boy, to becoming "Moran" (Warrior). The pivotal transition point to this phase is ritual circumcision. Every fifteen years, thousands of people from all over the Samburu district gather together to celebrate this rite-of-passage of their boys. The eagerly anticipated event involves many trials and tribulations, over the course of six weeks, before the boys become Moran. In these photos: Eighteen-year-old Barunye treks to sacred Lake Kisima to gather water that will be combined with milk, and poured over him as a cleansing prior to circumcision. And, in honor of their success in initiation rituals, Mothers give handmade beaded headdresses to their sons." Personal work.