To all Lers,
As I promised to send this article. Please let us debate to gain
information and knowledge. It is through knowledge that we are on the
internet today debating different issues that affect our lives.
Thanks
Amie.
INFORMATION FOR TRANSFORMATION - WHY FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION AND NOT
FEMALE CIRCUMCISSION
‘HER’STORY:-
Girls as young as two weeks old continue to be subjected to the unnecessary
practice of female genital mutilation-F.G.M. This is done in the name of
culture, tradition, religion, and economic or other social expectations.
"Nyaaka", "barang-boyo", "wula-kono taa", "sunnoo" are names in the mandinka
language used to describe the circumstances surrounding the act of removing
part of the female genitalia with a sharp instrument, such as a blade or the
ancestral knife many years old. It is therefore not surprising to wonder
why the origin of this practice. The oldest person in this generation will
say "it s our culture and tradition". Let us filter this particular
culture.
Until recently, FGM was referred to as female circumcision. It was
performed in the bush as a communal ceremony. Mothers in collaboration with
other female relatives probe the timing for the community to embark on it.
Men as fathers give their tacit approval as fathers and decision makers in
the home. The ceremony will take place with the approval of the Alkalo as
the village head to give permission for it to take place in the village.
The women leaders, the "Ngansingba" and the "Ngamanoo" would go through
traditional means to pray for protection be able to circumcise as many girls
as possible without evil interference. Women would also go to the marabouts
for special prayers for protection and get some "jujus and "holy" water
(nasoo). They would extend invitation to relatives and friends from far and
near to attend the ceremony.
Dancing will mark the eve of the ceremony. The little girls would be told
that they are going to eat bananas and would dance as much as they could.
The adults will never tell them is that they are going to loose part of
their creation for-ever. Some of the girls may overhear what was going to
happen, but the fact that everything is presented in a festive mood, new
clothes and shoes makes it difficult to margin what was going to be their
faith.
On the day of the ceremony, a cousin (jong musoo) or another relative will
carry the girl on her back to the "jujuwo". This is usually the space
already prepared for the occasion, mostly within the thick part of the
forest. Some refer to this place as the circumcision chamber. The
circumciser locally called the "ngaaman" and her assistants would be waiting
for the girls to be brought by turn. In most cases the mother is not
present when the operation is being done on her daughter. She would be
amongst the women singing and dancing to drown the screaming of the girls.
The songs are so nice that every girl would want to be part of the disguised
merry making. While the operation is on, the assistants would have been
alerted which of the girls should not be washed, to allow the blood to dry
up the operated area and sealing the natural opening Allah has created.
(notoroo or kadaroo).
AGE OF CIRCUMCISSION
The age of circumcision vary from one ethnic group to the other, i.e. the
Sarahuleh can circumcise a baby girl as young as two weeks old while a
mandinka can wait until the age of seven to ten years.
.
TYPE OF CIRCUMCISSION PERFORMED IN THE GAMBIA
With the exception of the few women involved in the operation for most
women, it is generally assumed that the same part is operated upon each
girl. However, it has been established that different types do exist in the
Gambia.
· Removal of part of the clitoris
· Removal of the whole clitoris
· Removal of the whole clitoris, labia minora and sealing the area.
None of these cannot be compared to the removal of the foreskin in male
circumcision.
MEDICATION
The process includes the use of warm water and powdered herbs. Special
herbs are used for dressing the wound. These special herbs are very painful
on the raw wound. It is during the dressing that it is determined which of
the girls would undergo sealing. Parents do give their consent but it may
accidentally happen if not properly dressed. The medication in the Gambia
has also changed over a period from the herbs to things such as cow dung,
tomato paste, "Chinese mentholatum", just to name a few.
COMPLICATIONS AS A RESULT OF FGM
By now readers would have understood why female circumcision is referee to
as female genital mutilation. The shock, pain and bleeding are some of the
immediate complications. The bleeding should not be underestimated because
the girl is padded with a piece of cloth and it is difficult to quantify the
amount of blood lost during the period. Passing urine is painful and
suppressed by the girl because of the pain caused by the acidity of the
urine touching the raw wound. These are the beginning of problems the
girl would face in future womanhood. The healing is accompanied by threats
from former graduates - "kintangholus" and older women. The girl would
promise never to reveal what she heard or saw during her confinement to
uninitiated girls or women. The girl keeps her promise throughout her life.
Studies have shown girls with sealing finding it difficult to have normal
blood flow during menstruation. Sexual desire is reduce and this has effect
on her marriage life. Childbirth is a natural process but it is affected by
the reduction of the natural elasticity that should occur during delivery;
this leads to other complications such as tears with first deliveries in
particular.
SOCIAL STIGMATIZATION
Uncircumcised girls are stigmatized for not going though the gruesome
practice of FGM. This is commonly associated with insult such as "solima”.
Some who have undergone it will be accused of not properly trained in the
chamber because they do not respect the norms even though they have been
operated upon. Some will go to the extend where the food they prepare will
not be eaten by some members of the family because the woman is termed as
"unclean".
ECONOMIC FACTORS
The "ngaamano" or circumciser is a well-respected woman in the community and
feared by young girls. She is showered with money, material and food during
the ceremony. In some communities she is from "Numoo" class, while in some
she is termed as a woman with spiritual powers. The amount of money and
other items involved also depend on whether the ceremony is held in the
rural area or urban. For instance a mother may pay D50.00, quality food
supply daily for at least two weeks, material for the circumciser, cook the
following on the "graduation day"
· teya fotoo
· benachinoo
· nyankatangho
· soosoo
· snacks
· fufu, etc...
A lot of people are catered for from the morning to the evening. breakfast,
lunch and diner.
CONCLUSION
It has been observed that FGM is becoming a backyard activity or inside
the house . This can be associated to the disappearing bush in our
communities. This has also affected the availability of herbs for
traditional medicine in relation to fGM or has it been "modernized"? The
duration of staying in the bush has disappeared with most of the education
it had with it. Some Ngaaman will claim that a girl is healed after three
days; however that has to be questioned because a mere cut with a kitchen
knife does not heal in three days much mere the removal of part or the whole
of the most sensitive part of the female genitalia. Our culture has to be
respected however with a good knowledge of what it entails it is beyond
early marriage, food taboo, wife beating ,etc.
Our culture has positive element that have a human face and it is being
shadowed with lack of tolerance and ignorance. I hope this write up will
enlighten us on the issue of FGM not as a western influence to stop our
cultural practices but the result of women putting their head-ties on their
thinking head and analysing issues surrounding their livelihood.
Amie Bojang-Sissoho
A Victim
First published in June 1998.
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