Circumcision ( Malay) - traditional method

Thanks for up loader, hope it can be reference for those who want to study on circumcision using traditional method. For Malay, we use banana trunk as "operation table". No anesthetic. 

# Source - Youtube

Continue our tradition...

Hello Guys!

There are many arguments about circumcision. I don't know what actually they want to argue. Oh..for this entry, I just want to write in English. So, to my international friends ( who keep YM or MSN me) you may read my opinion about circumcision.

In Malaysia, circumcision is a common practice. Totally if you are Malay, you must circumcise. Why? because this is our tradition. In Malay community, tradition and faith are compliment. All Malay is Muslim and we believe that every men / boy must circumcise.

There two reason why we circumcised. First is for health and cleanliness. There is why most of Malay circumcised their son when they are 10 ++. If you circumcised, you can do pray, solat and will become in manhood community. When you cut, of course it easy for clean and you are not carry "shit" when you do praying.

Second is our culture, and when you cut, it is a sign that boy become manhood. Normally, age is suitable to cut is 7-12 years old. During that time, the boy will understand why he will be cut. And it is normal when family do feast to celebrate boy who will become man hood.

Malay rich with culture and everything we do, there are reason. It is not only an offering to God but it is a step for being a good man in the future. Circumcision ceremony in Malaysia is different than other country in the world. Normally, you can explore this culture when school holiday. The children / boy will wear "baju Melayu" or malay costume before the procedure take turn.

Then, every boy will bath in cold river. Currently there is less clean river in city, most of them replace with "fireman water shoot" or just bath in normal bath tab. Then, the boy is carried by his father to the circumcision place.

There are many style or technique of circumcision. Traditional style - using wooden clamp, knife, banana trunk, ash, and medicated herbs ; or modern style - using clamp.

In my blog, I want to continue what we believe before. And this is my responsible to educate the people about relevancy of our traditional method. I will explain further what is different traditional style or modern style which of them have their of own pro & con.

jariemas

When is the best time to circumcise ?

This is a copy article from Ismail Clamp, It useful as a reference for parents who plan to circumcise their sons:

Circumcision can be done on any age group. Infant circumcision is cheap and convenient, but as outlined below age group between 5 years to puberty is the best time to carry out circumcision

a. Infant circumcision (form birth to 3 months)

Practiced by certain group of Muslims mainly in Arab countries. In some Western countries

particularly in The United States of America, routine infant circumcision is the norm.

For Jews , the 8th day is a must.

b. 3 months to 5 years

Circumcision in this age group should be avoided because

i. Child can localize and feel pain, and can remember it too.

Ii. Child may not understand the reason for his circumcision

c. 5 years to puberty

This age group forms the majority of circumcision practiced by Muslims. In certain

countries (Malaysia, Indonesia), group circumcision (form five to a few hundred

participants) with elaborate ceremonies are still being held. For reasons outlined below,

this age group seems to be the best time to conduct circumcision.

i. The child understand reasons for undergoing circumcision and will also be able to

face the pain and discomfort of

circumcision.

Ii. Unlike infants, child is already toilet trained, and problem of fecal matter soiling

circumcision wound does not arise. Child also able take care of circumcision wound.

iii. Sociologically ideal, because after circumcision, the child will acquire adult status,

and will be rewarded and welcomed within the adult circle.

iv. Medically, this is the best time to perform circumcision, because the size of penis is

not too small, easier to judge where to make the cut, and the growth spurt of

puberty will further tighten the penis.

D. Adult and adolescent

Circumcision for this age group, doesn’t pose much problem because patient understand

the reason for undergoing circumcision and circumcision is usually done voluntarily. The

main drawback is awkward feeling of genital being handled, and to explain long duration of

absence from work. If news of the circumcision leaks out. It may cause embarrassment to

some.

Conclusion : Most of the people circumcised during their childhood. My opinion, during child hood, they can understand what is circumcision about and of course, it is symbol for them to enter adulthood life. For those who are against circ, they think that this is child abuse. But, for Malay, circumcision is a culture & related with the Islamic religion. We can accept child circumcision...

For me, circumcision is not abusing. It is a step for boy to understand how life is. Beside on healthy reason, circumcision is more than that. As a world members, we need to understand other people culture and respect each other! I'm sure we can have better life in the future.

jariemas..

Headline: I turned from boy to man

CIRCUMCISION is a rite of passage for boys in the kampung. DR ZULHISHAM GHAZALI recalls the day he faced the Tok Mudin. IT was November 1972, exactly 37 years ago during the year-end school holidays. Our father came home one day and told us we would be going back to our hometown the next day, and with that I began my journey to becoming a man. I had always loved going back to the kampung to meet our grandmother, Tok Chah, and the cousins. We could play amongst the rubber trees and help our aunt, Mak Andak, tap rubber, or go to our grandmother's padi field. We could climb manggis (mangosteen) trees and swim in the tandop (water locks). There were so many things to do.

But this time, our father also had something planned for me. We took a taxi from our Taiping home the next day for Kg Bujang. The first night in Kg Bujang, mother told me. "Lusa hang masuk jawi tau! (You are going to be circumcised the day after next)." I nodded in agreement. I often heard stories about how people masuk jawi but I didn't know what it was all about. "Bapak! Masuk jawi tu lagu mana bapak? (Dad, how were you circumcised?)" I asked father. "When you masuk jawi that means becoming a big person... we Muslims must masuk jawi," he said. "Depa buat lagu mana bapak?Ada kawan cek kata depa kerat kote kita.Ya ka bapak?" (How do they do it, father? My friend said that they cut our penis. Is it true, father?) "Nah... the Tok Mudin will just cut a bit of skin of the front of your penis," father reassured me. "Does it hurt?" "Just a bit. Just for a while... then everything will be fine." I nodded slowly. But in my mind, all sorts of thoughts went racing by. They were going to cut it? A lot of it or just a bit? What would they use? A knife? Parang? Scissors? I started feeling a bit scared. What if I cried and embarrassed myself in front of the kampung folk? My uncle Pak Tam smiled at me, displaying a row of white teeth against his dark skin. Pak Tam was a soldier, just like my father. He had just come back from serving in the Congo. "You are in for it Sham," he said with a smirk. "I'm going to ask the Tok Mudin to cut the whole thing off and throw it to the chickens to be eaten," he said. "I'm not scared Pak Tam," I retorted. "My friend already masuk jawi and he said they don't cut the whole thing off... you are trying to scare me, aren't you?" Pak Tam let out a huge guffaw, slapping his thighs. My other older relatives burst out laughing as well.

Later, my aunt, Mak Cik Jah, and uncle Hashim arrived from Alor Star, my two cousins in tow. Grandfather's house became noisier with children playing all over the yard. On the third day, mother woke me up early in the morning. Father, Pak Tam and Uncle Hashim were having coffee and kuih. They asked me to take a bath at the well outside. It was bone-chillingly cold. At 8am, Tok Chah's entourage stepped out. All the girls were left behind. We headed to the house of Tok Ngah Arop, Tok Chah's brother. The ceremony would be held there because three of his grandsons would be circumcised. There were a lot of people there. There were three sheds with wooden floors to serve food to the visitors. It would also be used for the berzanji and marhaban readings. Beside the house was the gedohoak (cooking tent) and I saw rubber wood fires burning. White rice was being cooked and I saw villagers cutting up beef and mutton for the kenduri. The khatan ceremony was often as grand as a wedding ceremony. The women would be in the kitchen sorting out the cakes given by the neighbours. The whole place smelled of home-brewed coffee made from freshly roasted coffee beans. I was carried up to the house. We gathered in the living room.

There were two banana trunks placed there. In the background were five mats for us to lie down on after the ceremony. Above them were five rafia string hanging from the ceiling. This was where we would be staying for the next two to three days. As we entered the house, two old timers sitting there had to have their say. "You guys are in for it. The Tok Mudin is coming with his axe to cut off your little birdies," one said. "No... actually not an axe, he'll be using a wood saw," said the other. The whole house erupted in laughter. We five skinny boys turned pale. We were on the verge of tears. For an hour there was some tension. Then we heard cries from the compound. "The Tok Mudin has arrived... the Tok Mudin has arrived. Let's catch whoever has not been circumcised and circumcise them together with the five." The children who had been making a ruckus in the yard scattered. We saw the figure of the Tok Mudin from where we sat. He was a tall man with a big moustache He wore a kain pelikat with a green money belt, the kind pilgrims use when they go for the haj. He had on a tall songkok and a blazer and walked like a Panglima Perang. Behind him was a younger man carrying a bag filled with the tools of his trade. As he stepped into the living room, the five of us cowered. "So who's going first?" asked the Tok Mudin. There was silence. Then Tok Ngah Arop said, "Bani will go first, then Sham. "OK. Bani come here. Come and sit on this banana trunk. The others turned and looked the other way. All of us hoped that Bani wouldn't scream. "Sham, it's your turn now," said Pak Tam. I thought to myself. How could it be so fast? I didn't even hear Bani cry out. "Sit on the trunk," said the Tok Mudin. Pak Tam held me from behind and asked me to look up. Pak Tam asked me to read a prayer and he whispered a prayer in my ear. "What standard are you in?" "Standard Four, Tok," my voice trembled. Suddenly I felt a sharp pain. Pak Tam tightened his grip on me. "Bear with it. It's almost done," said Pak Tam. "It's done. Carry him to the sleeping place," said Tok Mudin. It was over in two minutes. Bani was smiling as I was laid down next to him, his kain pelikat suspended like a tent with the string from the ceiling. When all five had been circumcised, the Tok Mudin took his leave. There were other kids to be circumcised in the next village. The five of us were starting to feel the pain. Our penises were wrapped in a bandage known as a kundang, which was a gauze of coffee powder, spices and honey. The worst part was taking off the bandage.

For a week, warm water was dripped on the bandage to loosen it. It finally came off on the 10th day. I was happy it was all over. I couldn't wait to start Standard Five with my new status as a "grown up". In my 15 years of working as a general practitioner, I have circumcised 500 to 600 boys. Today, it is rare to find parents organising elaborate ceremonies like in my childhood.

Source : NST

A snip to mark boys' coming of age

CIRCUMCISION ceremony is a big event in a young Muslim boy's life as it marks his coming of age, from boyhood to manhood.

In the Malay community, the boys about to undergo the ceremony are made to feel very important, with new clothes and attention showered on them.

The feasting and merriment vary according to the social standing of the boys.

Circumcision is known as bersunat or berkhatan and together with bertunang (engagement) and marriage is normally celebrated during long school holidays like now.

Among royalties, berkhatan is held on a grand scale. The Kelantan royal family has a tradition of carrying the young prince on a special dais called Burung Petalawati or phoenix, elaborately decorated, accompanied by a big procession of musicians and people carrying bunga telor and pulut kuning (both are ornamental items and edible as well - egg and saffron glutinous rice respectively).

The ceremony is accompanied by a feast for the guests as well as the rakyat.

Many years ago, the Sultan of Brunei held a grand `coming of age' ceremony for his son and among the guests were heads of states from around the world.

For commoners, the mass circumcision is often held in groups involving 20 or more boys in the village or housing estate starting with dunking in pools where the `victims' are allowed to splash freely for an hour or so before they are brought to the place to be circumcised. The fun-filled dip is supposed to numb the skin.

In some places, they are carried on elephants or other vehicles but usually they ride on their fathers' shoulders.

They are assured all the way not to be afraid as it is only like `ant bites'.

The rite is performed by a Tok Mudim, most feared by boys for what they could do to them. But today the Tok Mudim's job has been taken over by doctors or even hospital attendants - taking away the fear factor.

After the ceremony, there will be music, entertainment and feasting, while the boys would be lying immobile under a sarong held away from the `wound' by a string and usually looked after by doting grandmothers.

Family and relatives would bring gifts and money to the boys as well as words of support and encouragement.

(source : NST)

Circumcision..

Hello to all readers,

Here I want to share my blog in English. Maybe my English is not proper as other blogger, but I try my best to share what the best and opinion about circumcision or in Malay, Berkhatan.

In Malaysia, most of malay male is circumcised. There are many reason why they circumcised. One of them because religion. Other than that is about hygiene, health and also tradition. In malay society, for those who are not circumcised, they are not adult ( male adult). They can be consider still a boy and cannot join man society.

Circumcision ritual for malay is different than any races in the world. They will celebrate the boys and give them fully motivation. For this entry, I don't want to tell full about ritual...maybe next entry.

This December is a school holiday for Malaysia. And of course there are many circumcision ceremony will be held around Malaysia. This December I will attend a few ceremonies which is done by traditional ways. So, I will share what I get after I come back from this research.

To who will be cut this holiday, I would like to say..." Enjoy the moment"... Ok guys, later next trip, I will write full entry about Malay traditional ceremony....

Thanks and happy holiday!!