THE MEMOIRS OF MUSTAPHA HUSSAIN - Malaysia Today

Circumcision Ceremony 49
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Circumcision Ceremony (1921)
Together with my older brother Alli, younger brother Yahaya and an older
cousin, I went through the intense experience of circumcision, which was
accompanied by much fanfare. Even now, parents still fuss over their
teenage boys at the threshold of manhood, albeit to a significantly lesser
extent. Although circumcision was a traumatic experience, we put on a
brave front. There was no other choice.
Our circumcision ceremony, like most ceremonies then, was held
after a grand graduation feast to mark our completion of thirty chapters
of the Qur’an, a moment every Muslim was proud of. Shortly after this
graduation ceremony, where we recited verses from the Qur’an to demonstrate
our fluency and prowess, we were feted with delicious food, such
as pulut kuning (yellow-coloured glutinous rice), egg omelette, beef curry
and rendang ayam (seasoned chicken cooked in coconut milk until dry),
pickled vegetables, dhal curry and fruits. These dishes were specially
prepared for the double occasion.
Relatives, neighbours and friends joined in the festivities. We sat
cross-legged on the floor, around food placed on huge trays, each of which
easily fed four persons. The meals were served on white poplin tablecloths
embroidered by my mother. As we ate with whatever appetite we
could muster on the dreaded day, my aunt Mak Endak Mariam told us,
“Eat to your heart’s content. After the circumcision, you will have to lay
off certain food, such as meat and eggs for a while, or else the wound
will take longer to heal.”
After the feast, we were asked to play in the yard to while away the
time until 2.00 pm, when the procedure would be performed by the Tok
Mudim, the circumcision expert. This chosen time, after the afternoon
prayer, was said to be ideal as the wound would then bleed less. I don’t
know how valid that reasoning was!
I remember clearly that as I played, I rode my bicycle as if it was
the last ride of my life, as if I was doomed and about to face a death