Circumcision ritual honors children<\/p>\n
Text and Photos by Filomena Reiss<\/p>\n
SUKABUMI, West Java (JP): Circumcision is one of the most
\nimportant rites of passage in Indonesian Muslim communities, and
\na time for great celebration.<\/p>\n
In the village of Cicemet in Cisolok, Sukabumi, there is an
\nannual circumcision ceremony consisting of three days of nonstop
\ncooking, blessings and entertainment. The village is situated in
\nthe foothills of Mount Halimun, surrounded by paddy fields and
\nreached through rugged terrain.<\/p>\n
Every community has its own time-honored manner for such
\nceremonies, and the Cicemet celebration held in September is
\ntypical of the Kasepuhan people of South Banten. Boys aged from
\nsix years to nine years and girls from two years to four years
\nundergo the operation (female circumcision is today a
\ncontroversial issue internationally. The method widely practiced
\nin Indonesia, unlike that in some northern African and Middle
\nEastern countries, is relatively mild, consisting of a snip to
\nthe clitoris. Opponents argue, however, that there is no
\nreligious justification for female circumcision; advocates
\ncounter that it is hygienic and keeps girls from becoming binal,
\nor promiscuous).<\/p>\n
The village becomes a hive of activity for the ceremony. Rice
\nis pounded, cakes baked and houses decorated. Special sedan
\nchairs are prepared to parade the children through nearby
\nvillages, a three-hour journey over 10 kilometers.<\/p>\n
Relatives from surrounding villages, often a five to six-hour
\nwalk away, come to the village to congratulate the children on
\nthe first day. They bring with them food and presents for the
\nfamilies, and also help in preparing for the big day.<\/p>\n
The next day, the children and their parents visit elderly
\nrelatives and village elders to ask for their blessings.
\nRelatives who offer uncooked food are given cooked fare in
\nreturn.<\/p>\n
On the third day the children are dressed in their finest
\nclothing for the parade, which is led by the village head and
\nheralded by musicians and clowns playing angklung (bamboo
\ninstruments). There were 12 different floats this year, with the
\nchildren sitting alone or with their mothers. The procession
\nstopped at the home of tribal elder Abah Anom where the children
\nreceived presents from his wives.<\/p>\n
The parade ended at the alun-alun (village square) where the
\nlocal religious leader blessed the children. They were then taken
\nto the river and, to the accompaniment of gongs and bamboo
\ninstruments, they were bathed by their parents.<\/p>\n
In the evening the village was treated to entertainment of
\nwayang golek (puppets) and three different groups of singers and
\njaipongan dancers. The village was alive all night with the
\nmerriment.<\/p>\n
Big day<\/p>\n
The music halted at 4 a.m. with the sound of women pounding
\nrice in the public square, accompanied by the angklung and the
\ngongs. The children were carried by their mothers to help pound
\nthe rice; the parents became involved in some light-hearted
\nwrestling matches.<\/p>\n
At 6 a.m the boys were marched down to the river for a quick
\ncold bath in its crystal-clear waters. At the public square, the
\nlocal medicine men prayed and prepared for the circumcision of
\nthe boys, which was performed without anesthetic. Curiously,
\nmothers quieted their sons, even though the boys were well past
\ninfancy, by giving them a breast to suckle on.<\/p>\n
The girls were then taken to the river to be bathed by two
\nwomen midwives before being taken to the house of one of the
\nwomen. The midwives then performed the girls' circumcision,
\nwhich would likely be a gristly and shocking sight for
\nforeigners. A razor was used to nick the girls' clitoris; after
\nthey bled, Rp 1,000 notes were applied to the cuts.<\/p>\n
Half an hour later it was all over, with the parents and their
\nchildren returning to their homes. It was a strangely subdued
\nending to what was a rich and fascinating insight into the
\ncircumcision tradition of one Sundanese village.<\/p>\n
Getting There: Take a public bus from Jakarta or Bogor to
\nPelabuhan Ratu, transferring to an angkot (public minivan) for
\nthe two-hour ride to Cisadane. Then walk one kilometer to a small
\njeep depot; they ferry passengers to Cicemet, about a three-hour
\njourney.<\/p>\n
Bring with You: Food if you are a fussy eater (rice, chicken and
\nother staples are available in the village); basic first aid and
\ninsect repellent; plus a lot of patience to deal with the
\nlackadaisical jeep drivers (you go when they are ready).<\/p>\n
Accommodation:Nothing formal to speak of but ask around for
\nvillagers who will be willing to open their homes for a short
\nstay (a payment of Rp 10,000 will be sufficient).<\/p>\n
Side Trip:Great trekking in Mount Halimun National Park.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/circumcision-ritual-honors-children-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }