Contents:
- What is the tradition of chiffon?
- What is the chiffon procession like?
- Why is circumcision using bamboo dangerous?
- Circumcision of chiffon increases the risk of transmission of venereal disease
Circumcision is not medically required, but can be done for a variety of reasons - religion, culture, and personal choice. Circumcision can also reduce a man's risk of contracting HIV. The tradition of circumcision can also vary in each region. For example, the ritual sifon in NTT that practices circumcision using bamboo. Although customary values and culture are sacred, the impact of ritual chiffon can be very fatal to health.
What is the tradition of chiffon?
Sifon is a tradition of circumcision that is passed down through the Atoni Meto tribe in the East Nusa Tenggara region. If circumcision is generally done when boys are still small, chiffon is intended for young men after turning 18 years.
Sifon is usually carried out during the harvest season and takes three weeks to a month.
What is the chiffon procession like?
Before being circumcised, the young man will be asked to collect and count stones according to the number of women who have had sex with him. After that, the artisan circumcision called ahelet will ask the young man to soak in the flowing river water.
The chiffon procession was carried out in the river to prevent the young man from losing a lot of blood after being circumcised. Because, ahelet will do a tapered bamboo circumcision instead of using a laser or a sterile scalpel.
Circumcision will begin with clamping foreskin using bamboo. After that, the wound on the penis will be wrapped with kom leaves (leaves used to preserve the corpse) with the aim of reducing bleeding. To replace the blood coming out, ahelet will ask the young man to drink chicken blood mixed with coconut water.
The ritual is then closed with sexual intercourse with the aim of healing circumcision wounds and removing bad luck. Sexual relations are carried out with foreign women who have no family or relatives relationship with the man. Because, these women are believed to be receiving "heat" from the man who is circumcised, so that they should not relate to the same man again.
In addition to expelling disease and bringing bad luck, the term "heat" also refers to the renewal of the soul to be holy as it was first born, while asking for blessings of natural fertility. Sexual intercourse with a woman who is not known is also believed to be able to accelerate the process of healing circumcision.
Why is circumcision using bamboo dangerous?
Circumcision using bamboo is an unsterile action. The main risk is clearly infection. Because the bamboo used is already exposed to bacteria and germs from the surrounding environment before being used near your vital organs. It is also possible that the bamboo contains pesticides or other pollutants which are not intended for the penis at all.
Even though it has been brushed or cleaned first, germs can still move from the surface of the bamboo skin to the skin of your intimate organs. As a result, circumcision in this way will increase the risk of irritation, bacterial infections, and even fungal infections.
In addition to increasing the risk of bacterial infection, it is not impossible for the bamboo to break into sharp fragments that can tear and injure the skin of an intimate organ. Moreover, the circumcision stitches using bamboo will continue to be left open without stitching. This action can risk the body owner to lose a lot of blood which can cause death if handled late. Even if you pass the procession, chiffon circumcision can cause prolonged pain.
Circumcision of chiffon increases the risk of transmission of venereal disease
Because the circumcision wound is not sterile, the wound can develop into an infection which results in tissue damage to the penis area. Then because the young man must have sexual intercourse immediately after being circumcised, this will increase the risk of sexually transmitted diseases both syphilis, gonorrhea, and even HIV - both for men and for women.
