Crisis in Somalia: When Rites Go Too Far

By Joshua P. Larson

Editor’s Note: This article was written for Anthropology 101 during my first semester at ISU. The criteria for the project were vague; I was only to write about a cultural, anthropological issue. This might seem weird, but I ran across a rite called genital mutilation (more commonly known as circumcision) that is being practiced in several places. I found it quite interesting, maybe you will too. Enjoy!

When the word “circumcision” is mentioned in the average American society, the idea of removing the foreskin from the penis of a male is brought to mind on almost every occasion. The act of male circumcision for cleanliness and religious beliefs is considered a normal and harmless ritual, especially when performed at a young age. In the African country of Somalia, what we know as the term “circumcision” carries a vastly different meaning. Female circumcision is a ritual in Somalia that must be considered as unhealthy and inhumane, and actions must be taken to stop this alarming rite of passage.

Operation of Circumcision

As Raqiya Haji Dualeh Abdalla describes in her book “Sisters In Affliction,” female circumcision has been dated back 2000 years ago. The practice, commonly known as genital mutilation, strongly persists by custom and ritual in the ever-modernizing Somalian society. Though different cultures use alternate methods of female circumcision, Abdalla (1982) organizes possible types of circumcision into three types: type I is known as Circumcision, type II is known as excision or clitoridectomy, and type III is known as infibulation.

The process of circumcision is performed at different ages in different cultures, but in Somalia the process is generally performed before the girl reaches puberty; the average age appears to be around five years old. The event takes place with no fancy ceremonies or celebrations. When the time is considered right by the elders, the girl must sit down on a small stool. A combination of stronger women, often being the girl’ mother, aunt, or grandmother, hold her down; the girl is restrained from moving her head, arms, and legs during the process (Abdalla 1982; Shell-Duncan 2000).

A trained midwife is the operator of the process. She uses a razor blade or other sharp device and skillfully cuts from the girl’s vagina once she is restrained. The operator excises the clitoris first, then moves to the labia minora and finally the labia majora. The restricting women will often shout words of encouragement or victory throughout the excisions, as there is no anesthesia involved with the process, causing the girl much pain (Abdalla 1982; Saadawi 2007).

Infibulation generally follows: the operator inserts 4-6 thorns into each side of the labia majora and proceeds to tie the thorns together and the vagina closed by lacing a string around the needles, much like a shoe. This process intends to fuse two sides of the labia majora. A cloth doused with special herbs and oils is then placed onto the affected area, and the girl’s legs are tied together (Abdalla 1982; Shell-Duncan 2000).

The girl is then carried to a bed will she will remain for several days. She is fed a very small amount, and only drinks enough water to help her with urination. The first “passing of water” is very difficult, as there can be much swelling and hemorrhage in the vagina. After several days of healing, herbs and oils applied with a cloth to the thorns and string, and the thorns are removed. The girl then has to heal, struggles to walk, and must recover in a timely manner before being ridiculed (Abdalla 1982; Nnaemeka 2005).

Medical Consequences

As one could expect, several medical consequences are common with the operation. These include, but are not limited to: shock, hemorrhage, injury due to struggle, infection, genital malformation, keloid scarring, vulval cysts and abscesses, chronic pelvis infections, coital difficulties, lack of orgasm, infertility, urinary tract infection, and obstetric complications. Psychological effects have been shown in some cases, as well (Abdalla 1982).

When reflected upon in a Western society, the operation of female circumcision is viewed as grotesque abuse, and carries a negative connotation of genital mutilation. From my own Western perspective, the thought of such abuse to young girls infuriates me and probes me as to whether something can be done about it. However, the Western cognition of the perceived atrocities is not present in the Somalian culture.

Logos

The logical appeal of such genital mutilation is derived from the culture and its ideology. In the society of Somalia, women are idealized as dangerous sexual creatures. Because almost any thought of female sexuality carries a negative connotation, the practice of hushing and making the idea obscure is passed down from generations. The source of the negative connotation of female sexuality may come from several sources (Abdalla 1982, Shell-Duncan 2000).

While not all Somalians are Muslims and not all Muslims practice infibulation, the overwhelming majority of the population of northeastern Africa can be considered a member of both categories. The Muslim Koran preaches the societal codes for the Islamic religion, and a part of the codes is the devaluation of women in society. Women are generally not supposed to expose themselves in public, and aren’t allowed to participate in things that men can naturally do. This creates the possibility for a connection between the Islamic degradation of women and female circumcision: women are of lesser sexual power in the circumcised state (Abdalla 1982).

However, the value of women in society increases dramatically after circumcision has taken place. Because the clitoris is considered unhealthy and even dangerous, the riddance of such a “useless” organ is considered to promote the health and well-being of a woman. The societal awareness of girls is shaped in this manner throughout their childhood: a woman will simply not be married or accepted by a man unless she is circumcised and rid of their natural sexual impurities (Abdalla 1982). Various circumcised girls have been interviewed, and they all seem to have a positive outlook on circumcision: they will be able to be married if they are circumcised, and they will be looked upon as clean and pure (Nanda 2007).

I make a connection with this thought process to the Western ideal of needing a proper education before getting a well-paying job. While in Western society employment is on the line, is distresses me to see that girls have to go through circumcision to have an acceptable relationship for the rest of their lives. Additionally, girls are trained throughout childhood to feel ashamed of their sexual manners and to tolerate pain (Abdalla 1982). This contrasts with the ideals of men, who can thrive through their sexuality and are dominant of the women in almost every aspect of society.

Conclusion

Although the genitalia of women are painfully mutilated in Somalia, the operation is a cultural custom that is very hard to erase. From talking to acquaintances about my research of female circumcision, I realize how isolated this situation is and how shocked people are to find out about such acts. While there exist some methods in the form of law-making to prevent genital mutilation, the custom persists. The members of the society are attached to their cultural identity and fear the notion of being excluded from fellow peers as a result of escaping the torment of genital mutilation. Due to the overwhelming amount of lack of knowledge about female circumcision, it is evident that cross-cultural education is necessary in both Western and Somalian societies to eliminate this unnecessarily degrading, abusive, and painful rite of passage. .

Works Cited

Abdalla, R. H. D.
1982 Sisters In Affliction. London: Zed Press.

Shell-Duncan, B., Hernlund, Y.
2000 Female “Circumcision” In Africa. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc.

Nnaemeka, O.
2005 Female Circumcision and the Politics of Knowledge: African Women In Imperialist Discourses. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers.

Nanda, S., Warms, R. L.
2007 Cultural Anthropology, Ninth Edition.

Saadawi, N. E.
2007 One World, Many Cultures. In Circumcision of Girls. Stuart Hirschberg and Terry Hirschberg, eds. Pp. 164-177. New York: Longman.