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uganda 2002 - mass adult circumcision
a summer teaching, May to September 2002

can't see the video? download flash here

It's an event which is not very well documented, but every two years tens of thousands of Ugandans come together in celebration for a mass adult circumcision festival.

The Bugisu tribe in the East gather around Mbale and up to 20,000 young boys - usually around 18 years old - get the snip. There is no anaesthetic or sterilisation and often blunt butter knives are used, as shown in the video to the right. After the cutting, the boys must bear the pain to prove their manliness. Most young men are proud to be part of the ceremony as it marks their entry into manhood.

Advocates have tried to promote the practice as a Christian tradition, citing passages from the Old Testament. However, the New Testament makes it clear that circumcision is unnecessary.

We were lucky enough to get a great view of the tribal spectacle by climbing on top of a Pepsi truck. Just as we thought the craziness was over, and were headed home to Budaka, I surrounded by an impromptu ceremony in the Mbale's city centre. In exchange for a few thousand shillings I was allowed to continue filming - however, the procedure went wrong and you can see that, rather than the tip being removed, the entire shaft was skinned. We never found out if the guy survived, but discovered that some procedures lead to lasting injury or death as hospitals are not easily accessible.

Female circumcision also used to be widespread but is now illegal - there are plans to outlaw male circumcision too, as unhygienic practices have promoted HIV/AIDS. 

links:

• People & Planet's campaign to end female circumcision
• BBC News - President Museveni's plans to abolish the practice altogether
• Wikipedia - circumcision in the Bible

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