Rwandan legend has it that female ejaculation originates with an ancient queen who experienced earth-shaking orgasm while her husband was away at war, producing enough water to fill enormous Lake Kivu.
In “Sacred Water,” individual men and women, teenage girls, and couples discuss women’s orgasms frankly, often with a strong dose of humour – a guest on Dusabe’s radio show refers to the clitoris as “the Eiffel Tower.” Women say men enjoy and expect them to ejaculate, and that “finding the water” guards against infidelity. Men see women’s ejaculation as a sign of their prowess, and a way to make sure they are pleasuring their partners. A male doctor who has just met with a patient complaining that her water has dried up, compares good sexual skills to playing guitar, and the process of love-making to a soccer match: “You need fair play so both sides can score.” Meanwhile, girls learn about the practice of gukuna—stretching the inner labia—and some wonder if it is a sin.