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Ray Terry Posted this Interesting Article April 29, 2006. Memories of a Tulì For some, it was fun, for others it was traumatic. For a young boy getting the cut or a young medical student doing the procedure, the experience of tulì or circumcision is most memorable. This summer, on top of the list of most 10 to 12-year-old boys, alongside camping and swimming, is getting tulì, or circumcision. "Magpapatuli po atsaka mag-aaral mag-arnis" (Get circumcised, and learn arnis,) casually answered a 12-year-old when asked about his summer activities. "Para maging tunay na lalaki, atsaka po para tumangkad" (So as to become a man, and to get taller), the boy added. Circumcision, the removal of the foreskin of the penis, is accepted by most Filipinos as a must for boys entering puberty, a rite of passage to manhood. There are, however, no proven benefit of circumcision. Collective experience Filmmaker Ron Papag had fond memories of a "collective experience", when he got circumcised as an eight-year-old in the province of Quezon. Papag said he and his cousins looked forward to getting their tulì one summer. The day before, each prepared a thin cloth which had a hole in the middle and will serve as the dressing for the circumcised penis. They woke up early the next day, took a dip in the sea, gathered guava sprouts, and put on loose shorts. Each boy then bought a bag of ice, and headed to Mang Arsenio, the village tolero, or the one who circumcises. As they walked, the boys rubbed the ice pack to their crotch, to numben the penis. Arriving at Mang Arsenio's house, the boys lined up and started chewing the young guava leaves. Mang Arsenio first examined the boy's foreskin. "Titingnan niya kung hiwa o pukpok" (He decides whether to make a cut or to use a small mallet), Papag said. Younger boys are usually given a cut, but older boys get the mallet. Mang Arsenio then retracted the broken skin, and asked the boy to spit out the chewed guava leaves. The mush is rubbed on the cut, after which the tolero dresses the cut. Papag said that he and his cousins stayed until Mang Arsenio is done with everyone, just to watch the procedure, which is done in full view of other boys. "Lahat nanonood kaya pipigilin mong umiyak kahit masakit," (Everybody was watching so we did not cry even if it was painful.) he said. When everyone was done, they all walked home, cowboy-like, with legs apart. The following days, he and his cousin would meet to take a bath in the sea every morning, "comparing notes" on how each one was healing. If one's cut gets "nangamatis" or infected, the others would tease, at the same time give advise on how to properly dress and treat his cut. Papag recalled the ritual to be more fun than painful, a bonding with his male cousins, and even with his favorite uncle, Tio Pepe, who also helped him dress his cut. Most of all, after the circumcision, they could do things they weren't allowed to do before. "Pag tulì ka na, pwede ka nang manligaw (Once you're circumcised, you could court girls)", Papag said smiling. Operation Tule Tulì is also a rite of passage of sorts for those doing the procedure, said Dr. B., a female doctor who requested anonymity. She had both funny and traumatic memories of having circumcised young boys in several "Operation Tulì" as a medical student. "It's a chance for medical students to have experience in minor surgery, that's why our sorority regularly took part in surgical missions in communities," said Dr. B. Dr. B's most memorable tulì experience was in a surgical mission when she was just a second year medical student, and had to help circumcise a 16-year-old. The team had set the age limit to 15 but the boy's family insisted ongetting him circumcised. Dr. B and another student did the procedure, but they weren't able to stitch close all the veins. "The boy's penis had hematoma (internal bleeding), and became enlarged. We panicked because we had no licensed doctor in our team. We had to rush him to the hospital, where blood was removed from his penis, and the veins were sutured," Dr. B recalled. Apologetically, Dr. B monitored the boy's healing, visiting him everyday for a week, to clean and dress the cut. The family of the boy, who had a learning disability, blamed Dr. B for what happened and refused to take the responsibility of monitoring the boy's healing. Traumatized, Dr. B didn't want to be a doctor anymore, and refused to join anymore medical mission. But her sorority sisters persuaded her. "I joined another medical mission, and there was another 16-year-old. No way was I going to do the procedure. But my 'sisses' convinced me to do it, so that I'll find out what I did wrong before. I went on to do it, and it was OK," she said. Dr. B said that it's mostly the mothers who are eager to get their sons circumcised, anxious not to lose the opportunity to get free medical service. "But we don't force the child if he is not yet JAY DE LEON POSTED A REPLY ON APRIL 29, 2006, SUGGESTING A SURVEY Okay, here's the survey of the week: (1) Did you get your tuli from a Mang Arsenio? (2) If so, was it hiwa or pukpok (cut or pounded)? (3) Did you do arnis the subsequent two weeks? (1) Of course not. I was a city (sissy?) boy and I got my tuli from the hospital, complete with a surgery team of a doctor, 3 assistant nurses and a huge group of observing giggling rookie nurses. (2) It was cut, sculpted, sutured and artistically bandaged. (3) Hell, no. I stayed in the house, gingerly walking around in very loose pajama pants. I would have worn a negligee, but my dad would have given me a kick in the groin. You see, he got his tuli from Mang Arsenio. Jay de Leon JORGE PENAFIEL POSTED ON APRIL 30, 2006 "Memories of a Tulì - Bulatlat" narrative was so vividly pictured that it surely brought back one old memory growing in La Paz, Iloilo that has remained to these days ingrained in my heart. It's one of my best stories told to American friends here in Ohio who care to listen about my birth place and people. Either way I made them squirm and they told me I was "crazy or nuts" to have subjected myself to this boyhood ritual. Anyhow, that was then and simply a rite of ritual to welcome and accept changes to a boy's life to manhood. It was voluntary and of course there are other choices and doctors available. But it is not the same! It has huge significance particularly pride and courage. My answers to pal Jay's survey: 1) Our tuli specialist was Carding. Bless him and his special pinute he used to cut me! There were four of us that special summer day. Hey, it was a bit scary and in fact tough guy Ray panicked and fainted. It was so funny and of course there was trash talking after the event. 2) I went first and it took only one "pukpok". The knife was still sharp plus I hate to wait. Momoy who went last had three strikes, and boy, it was the first time I saw a white pinoy ever. 3) After all the craziness, we bought one "balading” (big wooden keg) of “tuba” (coconut wine) and got drunk. Next day and succeeding days were of course A-1 pain!! Jorge Penafiel A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE FROM JONATHAN KESSLER ON MAY 1, 2006 Coming from another culture that practices circumcision, (although at 8 days old), I'll share a memory, not of my own, but of the time I learned what it was. I was 6 years old. My parents took me to Jerusalem, and we were visiting a museum. As a 6 year old boy, I was drawn to a display case that had 2 beautiful knives in it. The blades were long and thin - about 1/2" wide, about 7" long (though in my memory they seem much longer). JK A CUTTING REMARK FROM FELIPE “BOT” JOCANO ON MAY 1, 2006 Hi manong Jay; Well, this is such a *cutting edge* topic ;-) BGDEBUQUE POSTED ON MAY 2, 2006 The "batangueno" (or balisong) was the blade of choice in most backyard The one being circumcised is first made to chew guava leaves. Once "the cut" has been made with the "batangueno" the newly-circumcised boy will spit the chewed guava leaves as an antiseptic on the wound. The wound will then be wrapped with a clean piece of white cotton cloth. Since we live near the sea, the entire batch of newly-circumcised males will troop down to the sea and soak themselves in seawater until the wound stops bleeding. A fresh batch of chewed guava leaves and white cotton cloth will then be applied to the wound. Every morning, this sea bath-and-wound dressing ritual is repeated until the wound heals completely. The "batangueno" used for circumcision is normally also the personal. "carry" weapon of the acknowledged circumcision expert.
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