To celebrate a young boy’s rite of passage, he must undergo the inevitable circumcision ritual called “pag-Islam” (cutting a part of the boy’s foreskin).
Pag-Islam happens as soon as a boy is considered mature enough to undertake the responsibilities of a man. His father and the menfolk in his family prepare him for the ceremonial pag-Islam by planning a big celebration attended by relatives and friends. Food is prepared, and entertainers and musicians are also invited. Of course, gifts are expected from guests.
Money bills in the form of flaglets are artistically fastened to a house-like contraption with colored eggs and gold flowers as a peculiar way of gift-giving. This offering is called the maligay. New clothes and shoes come not only as gifts but also symbolize the transition to manhood. Now he is officially considered a member of the community security force.
To ease the boy’s pain, several kudyapi lutes are played while an elderly shaman performs “pag-jiin” to drive away malevolent tunong or spirits. As in the past, a young prince representing one of the kingdoms of Maguindanao or the son of an heir apparently becomes the center of all activity in the circumcision. The head man or Imam (priest) performs the circumcision rites according to the tenets of Islam. Right after the circumcision, the boy rides an elaborately dressed-up horse to his house which has been decorated earlier.
KAHULUGAN SA TAGALOG
Naniniwala ang mga Muslim na ang isang sanggol ay ipinanganak na walang kasalanan kaya di kailangang binyagan upang ito ay maalis. Ganoon pa man, mayroon silang ilang seremonya na kahalintulad ng binyag na tinatawag na pagislam. Pinaniniwalaang ito ay ang pagbibiyag ng mga Muslim.
Sa katunayan, mayroon silang tatlong uri ng seremonyang panrelihiyon na napapaloob sa pagislam, na ginagawa sa tatlong magkakaibang araw sa buhay ng isang sanggol.
Ang unang seremonya ay ginagawa ilang oras pagkapanganak. Isang pandita ang babasa ng adzan o kang sa kanang tainga ng sanggol. Ito’y ginagawa ipang dito’y ikintal na siya’y ipinanganak na Muslim at ang unang salitang maririnig ay ang pangalan ni Allah.
Ang pangalawang seremonya ay higit na kilala bilang penggunting o pegubad. Ginagawa ito pitong araw pagkapanganak. Naghahandog ang mgamagulang ng kanduli, isang salu-salo bilang pasasalamat sa pagkakaroon ng anak. Dito’y inaanyayahan ang mga kaibigan, kamag-anakan at pandita.
Ang paghahanda ay ayon sa antas ng kabuhayan ng mga magulang sa pamayanan. Karaniwang nagpapatay ng hayop, kambing o baka. Ang hayop na ito’y tinatawag na aqiqa, na ang ibig sabihi’y paghahandog ng pagmamahal at pasasalamat.
Sa okasyong ito, ang binibinyagan o pinararangalan ay binibigyan ng pangalan ng isang pandita pagkatapos na makaputol ng ilang hibla ng buhok ng sanggol. Inilalagay sa isang mangkok na tubig ang pinutol na buhok. Ayon sa paniniwalang Maguindanao, pag lumutang ang buhok magiging maginhawa at matagumpay ang tatahaking buhay ng bata ngunit kapag ito’y lumubog, siya’y magdaranas ng paghihikakos at paghihirap. Ang bahaging ito ng seremonya ay di kinikilala ng Islam ngunit dahil bahagi ito ng tradisyon, patuloy pa ring ginagawa ng ilang Maguindanawon. Isa pa ring bahagi ng tradisyon na kasama ng seremonya ay ang paghahanda ng buaya. Ito ay kakaning korteng buaya na gawa sa kanin, dalawang nilagang itlog ang pinakamata at laman ng niyog ang ginagawang ngipin. Nilalagyan din ang buaya ng manok na niluto sa gatang kinulayan ng dilaw. Inihahanda ito ng isang matandang babaeng tinatawag nilang walian, isang katutubong hilot na may kaalaman sa kaugaliang ito. Ginagawa ito para sa kaligtasan ng bata kung naglalakbay sa tubig. Pinakakain sa mga batang dumalo sa seremonya ang buaya.
Ang ikatlo at huling seremonya ayang pagislam. Ginagawa ito kung ang bata ay nasa pagitan ng pito hanggang sampung taong gulang. Tampok na gawain sa seremonyang ito ang pagtutuli. Tinatawag na pagislam para sa mga batang lalaki at sunnah para sa mga batang babae. Ginagawa ito upang alisin ang dumi sa kanilang pag-aari. Ang pagislam ay ginagawa ng isang walian, na karaniwang isang matandang babae na may kaalaman sa kaugaliang ito. Ang seremonya ay karaniwang ginagawa sa araw ng Maulidin Nabi o sa ibang mahalagang banal na araw ng mga Muslim.
FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION / CUTTING
In the Bangsamoro region, FGM/C is commonly called ‘pag sunnat’ (‘sunnat’ refers to the traditions and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, that constitute a model for Muslims to follow) or ‘pag Islam,’ connoting that the practice is deeply connected to the Islamic faith. In Moro (Muslim) communities in the region, the procedure is typically performed on females between 3-4 years old or before their first menstruation (menarche).
It is usually initiated by an elderly, female TBA or ‘panday’. In other areas, she may be a ‘pakil’, a respected woman who cleanses Muslim women’s bodies before the final burial takes place and recites Qur’anic verses during the rituals.
The World Health Organization estimates that worldwide, 200 million women and girls have been subjected to FGM/C, and each year, an additional 3 million girls are at risk.4 FGM/C has no health benefits, and may even result in serious immediate and long term harm. Adverse effects on women and girls’ health include, but are not limited to: pain, hemorrhage, infection (including HIV spread through using the same instruments in multiple FGM/C operations), sepsis, shock, urinary and menstrual problems, sexual dysfunction, psychological trauma and even death. Reproductive health complications include a heightened risk of obstructed labour causing obstetric fistula or postpartum hemorrhage, both of which are major contributors to maternal mortality.
There are four types of FGM/C:
1. Removal of the prepuce/clitoral hood, and/or removal of the clitoris
2. Removal of the clitoris, labia minora and/or labia major
3. Removal and appositioning of the labia (e.g. suturing shut leaving only a small opening for menstrual blood, urine and sexual intercourse), with or without the removal of the clitoris
4. All other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes; for example, pricking, pulling, piercing, scraping, incising, and cauterizing.
The most common form practiced in Bangsamoro is Type 4.
In general, there is very little research that explores the issue of FGM/Cs and its impacts on the well-being of girls and women in the Philippines. There is a dearth of information, experiential accounts, and ultimately, formal research on FGM/C in this particular geographic area and community. FGM/C is not well known nor widely acknowledged in the Philippines, and learning more about the practice (and its relation to traditional religious beliefs) is critical in understanding the beliefs associated with it. A 2009 study found that women are only considered to be truly “Islamic” or a Muslim when they are ‘circumcised’ or cut. Research by Islamic scholars elsewhere, however, challenges such connections to Islam and strongly condemns FGM/C in all forms.
