tuli too late

Father, why is he walking like that? And why isn’t he wearing any pants?

[chuckles then responds] Ahh, it must be circumcision.

What!? That boy looks at least 10 years old!

Yes, that sounds about right.

[silence and phantom pain ensues]

As I was only familiar with the American practice of circumcision (typically occurring within the first 10 days of a baby boy’s life), it was quite shocking to come to the Philippines and learn about the pinoy culture of male circumcision. In the Philippines, just about all men are circumcised, and it takes place around the ripe age of 11, give or take a few years. It’s true…believe me.

At my center, we availed of free medical services for our boys at a medical mission sponsored by the U.S. Air Force. The timing was right for three of our youngest boys, as they were deemed ready for circumcision at the prime ages of 7, 8, and 11. I visited the boys a few hours after the operation, finding them quite agitated and distressed. Whatever anesthetics were used to numb the pain had worn off, and now they were stuck in a hot room, anxiously waiting for their medicines. One boy had been crying, and looking a bit delirious, but the others tried to keep it together since they were told that the bravest would be rewarded with ice cream.

It was a sad sight, but at the same time, inherently kind of funny. You had to see it. The tell-tale sign for circumcision, which any Filipino would pick up on in a game of charades, is the simple act of hunching over, pinching the front of your t-shirt and holding it out at least 6 inches away from your body. I so badly wanted to photograph this but it felt so wrong and I couldn't bring myself to do it….so you’ll just have to use your imagination. Three little boys, perhaps 4 feet tall, hunched over, slowly shuffling around like old men, only wearing giant, sweaty t-shirts that are pitched like a tent in front of their bare-bummed bodies. Gets?

The circumcision boys, as the trio was referred to, continued to move about like this in their borrowed, oversized t-shirts for at least 3 more days, or maybe even a week. Many said that the youngest was overacting (O.A. as it’s referred to here), and maybe so, as he made me laugh the hardest while he shuffled around at a snail’s pace.

Any who, let’s talk about WHY. It was such a baffling concept to me, but now after discussing it with several Filipino men of varied ages, and doing my own bit of research, I've gained an ounce (maybe ounce and a half) of understanding. In the Philippines, it seems to me that the primary reason for circumcision is the rite of passage. It’s an act of bravery and endurance, proving entry into manhood. Every Filipino man is expected to experience tuli, and thus, every young boy will endure the procedure so that he can become a man.

I have never in my life discussed circumcision more than I have here in the Philippines. For some reason, the topic comes up often here, usually as a joke, and I've found it a bit strange to discuss so much. As a result, I felt the need to research it and see how the Philippines compare to the rest of the world…this is what I've found:

Apparently, the origins of male circumcision are unclear, but it is documented as an age-old tradition with evidence reaching as far back as Ancient Egypt:

Ancient Egyptian relief from Ankhmahor, Saqqara, Egypt (2345–2182 BC), 
representing an adult circumcision ceremony. 

SOURCE:  2007 World Health Organization report on Male Circumcision

Common reasons for male circumcision often revolve around religion, perceived health benefits, and social norms. It’s nearly universal for all Muslims and Jews to be circumcised, so that makes up about seventy percent of all circumcised men. Among the world’s male population, one-third are circumcised. Circumcision is particularly uncommon in Europe, Latin America, parts of southern Africa, and most of Asia. In the U.S., circumcision is on the decline with just over half of all newborn boys being circumcised, as of 2009.

In terms of health benefits, the most convincing evidence supports circumcision as a cost-effective way to reduce incidents of HIV AIDS transmission in Africa (among heterosexuals). Aside from that, people cite benefits such as improved hygiene and slightly reduced chances of cancer and developing UTI’s early in life. Most recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics confirmed the benefits of circumcision for HIV protection but they did not go as far as recommending circumcision for all boys. It’s actually quite a controversial subject, giving way to a significant anti-circumcision movement in the U.S. and even some opposition here in the Philippines.

The social and cultural motivations behind male circumcision simply appear to be that parents want a boy to look like his father. I see that as a potentially strong motivation for the prevalence of circumcision here in the Philippines, as appearances are very important. Culturally, it might also stem from a colonial mentality where Americans perhaps popularized circumcision, causing it to be perceived as medically essential for all Filipino men vs. just a religious mandate for the small Muslim population.

Whatever the reason is, it still makes me quite uncomfortable. It seems a bit cruel and unnecessary to put young boys through such an ordeal, but it's hard to battle a cultural practice that questions masculinity. Every boy wants to be a man, and for now, tuli happens to be the well-traveled, Pinoy path to manhood.



P.S. if you’re interested in learning more about the global history of male circumcision and the 2007 U.N. recommendation for circumcision as a means of HIV reduction in Africa, I’d highly recommend checking out this WHO report