Basunat: Symbol islam Children in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan

Basunat for society Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, is very important. In fact, Islam is not considered perfect person if the person has not been circumcised. Therefore, since Banjar people were children (boys aged between 6-12 years, and women are usually younger) have been circumcised (Alfani David, 1997: 252). Asa bakalalangan haja kaalah us (our disturbing feelings), so usually the people commenting on the people of Islam (bersyahadat) that have not been circumcised. In addition done by the Muslims to perfect his Islamic faith, circumcision was also practiced by local people who still adhered to the religion and the Christian Balian (ibid). But unfortunately, there is not any information that explains why they practice circumcision.
Circumcision for men and women in practice are not the same. Circumcision for men, is to remove genital skin (foreskin) that covers the head of the male genitalia. As for women, circumcision is cutting some tissues of the clitoris. Among the Banjar, recognized three methods of circumcision for men, namely: (1) basupit. Basupit called because the skin prick that must be disposed clamped with supitan made of hard wood or bamboo for two to three weeks. Cutting is done after the foreskin is clamped to dry. This method caused incredible suffering on the people who were circumcised, circumcision either before or after. Basupit method is still run by the Banjar society until the 1940's. 2) basunat. This method is a continuation of the method basupit. If at basupit penis foreskin must be clamped within 2-3 weeks, then in basunat foreskin is clamped only during cutting. In this way, people who circumcised penderiataan much reduced. (3) Circumcision by a physician or registered nurse. This method is the most modern methods of circumcision. If the basupit and basunat the person doing the circumcision experts who have expertise through inheritance from his parents, then the latter method gets people doing circumcisions expertise through formal education (ibid, 252-253).
If the man synonymous with cutting basunat penis foreskin, then the female clitoris is more on reducing the tissue by scraping with a razor blade (further explained in the procession of circumcision). Therefore, by scraping, then a circumcised girl will not suffer as a result of pain in young men. In fact, they can immediately play after circumcision procession.
Lately, female circumcision is not a bit of penetangan, especially from feminists. In fact, the formal opposition to the practice of female circumcision group also conducted ten UN agencies, namely the United Nations Programme on HIV / AIDS (UNAIDS), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nation Children Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), and the World Health Organization (WHO) (http://www.antara.co.id/). This group of opponents argued that the cutting of the clitoris of women (female genetical mutilation / FGM) is a deliberate violence against women. In adulthood, girls who cut off her clitoris bergabai will experience infertility problems, develop swelling of the genital area, suffered excruciating pain during childbirth, it is difficult to control urine, and the worse the woman can not enjoy sexual relations with her partner.
But there are also opposing the ban on religious grounds. This group usually take the argument that female circumcision is forbidden is a model of circumcision performed in Africa, namely by cutting the clitoris. What about female circumcision done by the community yng Banjarmasin? Is circumcision done damage reproductive organs so that violence can be categorized? The following will set out how the practice of female circumcision in Banjarmasin, so it can be referenced to support or reject circumcision on women.

Posted in: Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, traditional ceremony