On the 15 November 2009 an article came out in New Sunday Times.On page 15 to be precise.
It was taken from one of this blog's entry ; part 8 of the Terkenang semasa dulu series. It was about my experience undergoing the circumcision rituals back in 1972 in a remote village in Kedah.

It all started when En Arman from the NST desk e mail me through my FB inbox, asking if I can please translate my entry into English. I didn't ask him about any date line and I took my own sweet time to do it.

On the 13th November, Arman e-mailed me again,telling me he had done the translation coz they want it published on the 15th November. I knew Arman had his own column about Motoring in New Sunday Time€s and I just know he can translate it better then me. I was right, when the piece came out it was much better than I could have done. Thank you Arman.

Here are the links to my original entry and the one published in New Sunday Times.

I remember when...: I turned from boy to man

2009/11/15

DR ZULHISHAM GHAZALI

CIRCUMCISION is a rite of passage for boys in the kampung. DR ZULHISHAM GHAZALI recalls the day he faced the Tok Mudin

IT was November 1972, exactly 37 years ago during the year-end school holidays.

Our father came home one day and told us we would be going back to our hometown the next day, and with that I began my journey to becoming a man.

I had always loved going back to the kampung to meet our grandmother, Tok Chah, and the cousins.

We could play amongst the rubber trees and help our aunt, Mak Andak, tap rubber, or go to our grandmother's padi field.

We could climb manggis (mangosteen) trees and swim in the tandop (water locks). There were so many things to do. But this time, our father also had something planned for me.

We took a taxi from our Taiping home the next day for Kg Bujang. The first night in Kg Bujang, mother told me.

"Lusa hang masuk jawi tau! (You are going to be circumcised the day after next)."

I nodded in agreement. I often heard stories about how people masuk jawi but I didn't know what it was all about.

"Bapak! Masuk jawi tu lagu mana bapak? (Dad, how were you circumcised?)" I asked father.

"When you masuk jawi that means becoming a big person... we Muslims must masuk jawi," he said.

"Depa buat lagu mana bapak?Ada kawan cek kata depa kerat kote kita.Ya ka bapak?"

(How do they do it, father? My friend said that they cut our penis. Is it true, father?)

"Nah... the Tok Mudin will just cut a bit of skin of the front of your penis," father reassured me.

"Does it hurt?"

"Just a bit. Just for a while... then everything will be fine."

Dr Zulhisham Ghazali as a 5-year-old and as he is now

I nodded slowly. But in my mind, all sorts of thoughts went racing by.

They were going to cut it? A lot of it or just a bit? What would they use? A knife? Parang? Scissors?

I started feeling a bit scared. What if I cried and embarrassed myself in front of the kampung folk?

My uncle Pak Tam smiled at me, displaying a row of white teeth against his dark skin. Pak Tam was a soldier, just like my father. He had just come back from serving in the Congo.

"You are in for it Sham," he said with a smirk.

"I'm going to ask the Tok Mudin to cut the whole thing off and throw it to the chickens to be eaten," he said.

"I'm not scared Pak Tam," I retorted.

"My friend already masuk jawi and he said they don't cut the whole thing off... you are trying to scare me, aren't you?"

Pak Tam let out a huge guffaw, slapping his thighs. My other older relatives burst out laughing as well.

Later, my aunt, Mak Cik Jah, and uncle Hashim arrived from Alor Star, my two cousins in tow. Grandfather's house became noisier with children playing all over the yard.

On the third day, mother woke me up early in the morning. Father, Pak Tam and Uncle Hashim were having coffee and kuih.

They asked me to take a bath at the well outside. It was bone-chillingly cold.

At 8am, Tok Chah's entourage stepped out. All the girls were left behind. We headed to the house of Tok Ngah Arop, Tok Chah's brother.

The ceremony would be held there because three of his grandsons would be circumcised.

There were a lot of people there. There were three sheds with wooden floors to serve food to the visitors. It would also be used for the berzanji and marhaban readings.

Beside the house was the gedohoak (cooking tent) and I saw rubber wood fires burning. White rice was being cooked and I saw villagers cutting up beef and mutton for the kenduri.

The khatan ceremony was often as grand as a wedding ceremony. The women would be in the kitchen sorting out the cakes given by the neighbours.

The whole place smelled of home-brewed coffee made from freshly roasted coffee beans.

I was carried up to the house. We gathered in the living room. There were two banana trunks placed there.

In the background were five mats for us to lie down on after the ceremony. Above them were five rafia string hanging from the ceiling.

This was where we would be staying for the next two to three days.

As we entered the house, two old timers sitting there had to have their say.

"You guys are in for it. The Tok Mudin is coming with his axe to cut off your little birdies," one said.

"No... actually not an axe, he'll be using a wood saw," said the other.

The whole house erupted in laughter. We five skinny boys turned pale. We were on the verge of tears. For an hour there was some tension.

Then we heard cries from the compound.

"The Tok Mudin has arrived... the Tok Mudin has arrived. Let's catch whoever has not been circumcised and circumcise them together with the five."

The children who had been making a ruckus in the yard scattered.

We saw the figure of the Tok Mudin from where we sat.

He was a tall man with a big moustache He wore a kain pelikat with a green money belt, the kind pilgrims use when they go for the haj. He had on a tall songkok and a blazer and walked like a Panglima Perang.

Behind him was a younger man carrying a bag filled with the tools of his trade.

As he stepped into the living room, the five of us cowered.

"So who's going first?" asked the Tok Mudin.

There was silence.

Then Tok Ngah Arop said, "Bani will go first, then Sham.

"OK. Bani come here. Come and sit on this banana trunk.

The others turned and looked the other way. All of us hoped that Bani wouldn't scream.

"Sham, it's your turn now," said Pak Tam.

I thought to myself. How could it be so fast? I didn't even hear Bani cry out.

"Sit on the trunk," said the Tok Mudin.

Pak Tam held me from behind and asked me to look up. Pak Tam asked me to read a prayer and he whispered a prayer in my ear.

"What standard are you in?"

"Standard Four, Tok," my voice trembled. Suddenly I felt a sharp pain. Pak Tam tightened his grip on me.

"Bear with it. It's almost done," said Pak Tam.

"It's done. Carry him to the sleeping place," said Tok Mudin.

It was over in two minutes. Bani was smiling as I was laid down next to him, his kain pelikat suspended like a tent with the string from the ceiling.

When all five had been circumcised, the Tok Mudin took his leave. There were other kids to be circumcised in the next village.

The five of us were starting to feel the pain. Our penises were wrapped in a bandage known as a kundang, which was a gauze of coffee powder, spices and honey.

The worst part was taking off the bandage. For a week, warm water was dripped on the bandage to loosen it. It finally came off on the 10th day.

I was happy it was all over. I couldn't wait to start Standard Five with my new status as a "grown up".

In my 15 years of working as a general practitioner, I have circumcised 500 to 600 boys.

Today, it is rare to find parents organising elaborate ceremonies like in my childhood.

Boys after being circumcised at a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur in 1978.

Terkenang semasa dulu...part 8 : masuk jawi

November 1972
Cuti sekolah akhir tahun.

"Esok kita balik kampung" ujar bapak pada kami anak-anak.

Memang kami amat suka berita balik kampung.Dapat berjalan jauh.Dapat lihat pemandangan dari dalam bas.Dapat jumpa Tok Chah.Jumpa sepupu sepupi di kampung.Jumpa Kak Tinah,Kak Ani,Bang Jon,Bang Mi.Dapat bermain di celah pohon getah.Dapat tolong Mak Ndak motong getah(menoreh).Tolong ngutip susu getah.Tolong mesin getah.

Boleh ke Bendang Dalam jumpa Tok Nah(mak bapak).Jumpa Wa Mah dan Pak Ngah Aji Man.Jumpa anak-anak Pak Ngah:Kak Sobriah dan Bangcik Hanip.Boleh panjat pokok manggis dan rambai di laman rumah Tok Nah.Dapat mandi di kolah madrasah Pak Ngah.Dapat mengail ikan di alor sebelah rumah Pak Ngah sambil menjerit membuang lintah yang gerenti melekat di kaki-kaki kami. Dapat makan buah nona yang tumbuh di tepi tangga rumah Pak Ngah.

Boleh ke rumah Mak Njang di belakang Kampong Kedai Sebelah.Dapat main di paya yang ada depan rumah Mak Njang.Dapat jumpak Bang Ya,Bang Chop,Kak Mariah,Kak Jah,Kak Timah.Kalau ada rezeki dapat makan durian yang 2-3 batang di keliling rumah Mak Njang.Dapat tengok koleksi kotak rokok tembak(Rough Rider) yang di susun penuh dinding (dari lantai ke lelangit)rumah Mak Njang,ehsan dari Mak Njang dan Pak Njang

Lagi best kalau Bang Ya atau Bang Chop dapat bawa pergi mandi di tandop.Tentu ramai budak-budak di sana.Memang riuh!

Bila ingatan begitu datang,memang kami anak-anak tak sabar nak balik Kedah.

Esoknya sebijik kereta sewa sampai di depan rumah.Bapak angkat beg-beg masuk ke belakang kereta.Bila semua siap sedia kami mulakan perjalanan.

Petang kami sampai ke Kg Bujang.( sebab itu aku kata aku ni orang Bujang!)Memang kalau balik kampung,Bujang destinasi pertama.Selepas beberapa hari baru ke kampung bapak iaitu Kg Bendang Dalam( jarak lebih kurang 2 batu saja dari Bujang,kalau ikut shortcut).Wah!Memang seronok sangat.Tok Chah girang bila cucu dari Taiping sampai ke rumahnya.
Selepas mendapat bayaran,kereta sewa pulang semula ke Taiping.

Keluarga Pak Tam pun sudah ada rupa-rupanya.Pak Tam bercuti dan sampai dari Kucing lebih awal dari kami.

Malam tu lepas makan, mak beritahu aku:"Lusa hang masuk jawi tau!"

Aku angguk setuju.Memang nak sangat aku nak masuk jawi. Selalu dengar orang dok sebut masuk jawi tapi aku tak tahu apa itu masuk jawi.

"Bapak!Masuk jawi tu lagu mana bapak?"
"Masuk jawi tu kiranya hang dah nak jadi orang besaq lah....kita orang Islam mesti masuk jawi"
"Depa buat lagu mana bapak?Ada kawan cek kata depa kerat kote kita.Ya ka bapak?"
"Hah....Tok mudim kerat sikit saja tang kulit muncung tu"
"Sakit dak bapak?"
"Sakit sikit saja....sat saja.Lepaih tu baik lah"

Angguk faham.Tapi hati tetap risau.Nak kena potong?Banyak ke sikit nak potong tu?Potong guna apa?Pisau kah?Parang kah? Gunting kah?Perasaan suka dan cuak bercampur baur.Mahu tapi risau.Macamana kalau aku menjerit atau nangis nanti?Mesti malu kat orang kampung.Malu pada saudara-mara.

Pak Tam yang mendengar pertanyaan aku senyum dan sengih menampakkan gigi yang putih berlatarkan kulit Pak Tam yang memang hitam.

"Siap lah hang lusa Sham....." kata Pak Tam.
"Aku nak suruh Tok Mudim kerat semua sekali,paih tu lempaq bagi ayam makan"

"Alah Pak Tam...cek tak takut la nak masuk jawi.Kawan cek hat dah masuk jawi kata mana ada kerat semua...Pak Tam nak muhong(bohong) cek eh?"

Pak Tam ketawa kuat.Berdekah-dekah sambil menepuk-nepuk pahanya.Yang lain turut ketawa.

Esoknya Makcik Jah sekeluarga sampai dari Aloq Staq.Turut serta anak penakan Pakcik Hashim,Kak Miah yang sunti. Makin riuh rumah Tok.Anak cucu asyik bising bermain di tanah(laman).

Pagi lusa nya, mak awal-awal lagi dah kejutkan aku. Bapak,Pak Tam,Pakcik Hashim aku lihat dok bersembang sambil menyorok(sarapan) kopi dan kuih muih.

"Hang pi mandi di telaga.Hang nak berak ka apa ka pi la ni.Satni lagi ramai mangkit tidoq pakat berebut pulak. Lepaih mandi baru makan"

Aku keluar ke telaga.Sejuk gedi rasanya.Menusuk ke tulang. Tok Chah ada di luar.
"Awang ai...hang nak mandi ka?"
"Ya Tok...satni cek nak kena sunat"
"Hang mandi sabun bersih-bersih noo...pasai lepaih ni hang banyak hari tak muleh mandi"
"Ya Tok!"

Jam 8 pagi rombongan Tok Chah melangkah keluar. Kakak-kakak saudara tidak ikut serta.Pak Tam tak bagi.Mak Ndak sedang motong di keliling rumah.Pak Ndak dah ke bukit di kaki Gunung Jerai.

Kami ke rumah Tok Ngah Arop,adik Tok. majlis masuk jawi akan di langsungkan di rumahnya sebab ada 3 orang cucu Tok Ngah Arop akan berkahatan.Jadi majlis ni Tok Ngah Arop yang organisekan.

Lebihkurang 10 minit kami sampai ke rumah Tok Ngah Arop. Ramai yang dah hadir. Bangsal ada 3 bijik di dirikan(bangsal kenduri di Kedah waktu itu berpelantar jadi tetamu boleh bersila untuk makan.jugak untuk majlis berzanji dan marhaban. Ada jugak yang di buat bermeja yang mana kaki meja dari batang-batang nyioq atau batang pinang dan papan meja dari batang buluh atau batang pinang yang di siat).
Di tepi rumah ada sebijik gedohoak( khemah masak) dan aku liihat dapur-dapur kayu getah sedang berasap.Nasi putih sedang di tanak dan aku lihat ada yang sedang memotong daging lembu dan kambing yang baru di sembelih.

Kenduri masuk jawi besar macam kenduri kahwin. Kaum wanita di pelantar dapur dan dapur.Mengatur kuih-kuih yang di sedekah oleh jiran-jiran.Air di jerangan untuk di masak kopi kampung yang baru di goreng. Harum semerbak bau kopi dari dapur. Aku di bawak ke atas rumah.Ada 4 orang lagi dua pupu yang akan di masuk jawikan dengan aku.3 orang cucu Tok Ngah Arop.Aku kenal bani yang sebaya aku. Yang lain aku tak kenal. kami di kumpulkan di ruang tamu. dah tersedia 2 batang pisang di situ. Agak belakang sikit dah terikat 5 tempat pembaringan dengan tali rapia tergantung dati lelangit.Itu lah tempat kami nanti utk 2-3 hari nanti.

2-3 oramng-orang tua yang ada di beranda rumah mengusik kami.
:Siap lah hangpa.....Tok Mudin sat lagi kerat punai hangpa dengan kapak."
"Eh! Bukan kapak laa...tuh...dia guna gergaji kayu..."

Di sambut dengan ketawa.kami 5 kanak-kanak krurus kering semakin kecut.Ada yang pucat.Ada yang nak terberak dan terkencing.Ada yang dah mula sebek dan nak menangis.

Sejam kemudian kami dengaq ada laungan di tanah.
"Tok Mudim mai dah...Tok Mudim mai dah..."

"Hah! sapa tak masuk jawi lagi mai kita tangkap!Kita suruh Tok Mudim kerat dengan hat 5 orang nu..."
Berkeliaran kanak-kanak yang sedang berlari bising tadi.Berdesup menghilang.Takut di sunatkan bersama kami.

Kelibat Tok Mudim kami nampak dari atas rumah.Tinggi orangnya. Kain pelikat bertalipinggang Mekah.Sawo matang,berkilat. Bersongkok tinggi dan berblazer.Misai melintang tebal. Dia melangkah bagaikan panlima perang.Di belakangnya ada seorang yang lebih muda membimbit beg hitam .Beg misteri Tok Mudim.

Bila dia hampiri rumah Tok Ngah Arop ramai yang bersalaman dengannya.Ada yang terus mengusik anak-anak kecil yang sudah hampir nak menangis. Tok Mudim senyum.

Bila dia melangkah naik ke ruang tamu kami 5 orang lebih menikus.Badan rasa sejuk.seram pun ada.Tak macam di sesetengah tempat yang memandi sungaikan kanak-kanak yang nak di khatankan,kami tak mandi sungai.Mungkin sebab sungai jauh di darat sana.kami sekadar air telaga saja.

Pembantu Tok Mudim menghampiri batang pisang yang di tengah-tengah rumah. Tok Ngah Arop menjemput Tok Mudim minum dulu. Di temani beberapa orang tua kampung.Pak Imam.Pak Bilal.

Bila tempat penyembelihan sudah siap Tok Mudim mengambil tempat. Pak Tam naik ke atas rumah.

"Hah!Sapa dulu?" tanya Tok Mudim. kami 5 orang diam.Kecut perut yang amat sangat.Tension.Mengigil.menggeletar.Tekak terasa kering.Semua berharap bukan yang pertama tapi yang terakhir.

"Bani dulu. Lepaih tu Sham" kata Tok Ngah Arop.
"Bani hang mai sini....bawak dia mai. Hah!Dok ataih batang pisang ni" arah Tok Mudim. Kami yang 4 orang lagi memaling muka ke arah lain.tak berani nak lihat. harap-harap Bani tak menjerit atau menangis.

"Hah...Sham hang pulak mai sini:, tiba-tiba Pak Tam bersuara.Aik!Sat saja dah siap ka? fikir aku. Tak dengaq pun Bani melaung atau menangis.

"Hang dok ataih batang pisang ni. Haa...lagu tu.Kangkang sikit lagi." suruh Tok Mudim. Pak Tam memeluk tubuh aku dah suruh aku dongak ke atas. Aku dengar Pak Tam suruh baca Bismillah dan Pak Tam sendiri aku dengar berselawat di telinag aku.

"Hang ni darjah bropa?"
"Darjah 4 tok......." suara aku macam orang mengigil di Kutub Utara.
"Ohh...derjah Mpat.Amboih!!Comey kote hang ni no....baguih tak buta pun"

Tiba-tiba aku terasa pedih yang amat sangat.Pak Tam mengejapkan pegangan nya.
"Tahan sikit...nak habih dah"pujuk Pak Tam.

"Dah!Angkat dia boh tang tempat tidoq. Wak mai nombot 3 pulak..."kata Tok Mudim.

Woih!Cepatnya masuk jawi ni.Tak sampai 2 minit dah siap.Aku di usung ke tempat tidur.Bani sudah tersenyum. Kain pelikat sentung sudah di ikat ke tali rapia dan nampak macam khemah pengakap bercamping.

Bila selesai 5 punai di sembelihkan Tok Mudim dan pembantu mendapat habuan dan meminta diri.Ada masuk jawi di kampung lain pula katanya.Di bawah rumah Tok Ngah Arop ada kedengaran riuh rendah sedikit yang kemudiannya baru aku tahu ada insiden yang melucukan.

Kulit muncung punai yang telah di potong di letak ke dalam bekas yang berisi air yang mana pisau pemotong di basuh.Bila selesai bekas ini di bawa turun untuk dibuang airnya dan di tanam kulit-kulit yang di potong.Ada beberapa orang berebut-rebut hendak membasuh muka dan mata dengan air tersebut.

"Ni hangpa nak buat apa ni?" tanya Pak Tam.
"Nak basuh mata"
"Basuh mata?Nak buat apa?"
"Kalau basuh mata ayaq masuk jawi ni...mata kita jadi terang Pak Tam."
"Laa....awat hangpa bodoh sangat!Lagi elok kalau hangpa pakat minum ayaq tu.Biaq terang sikit hati hangpa"

Yang berhajat terus diam.Yang memerhati ketawa terbahak.

Kami berlima di atas sudah mula terasa pedih.Maklumlah masa tu mana ada di beri bius.Alih-alih potong dan di balut.Balutan yang di panggil kundang consist of campuran serbuk kopi,rempah dan madu dan dibalut dengan gauze.Beberapa makcik-makcik mula datang dan menyelak-nyelak kain kami.Aduh!Malu sangat masa tu.Kami jadi macam main attraction di Muzium Negara pulak.Ada yang bagi sedikit duit pada kami.

Makan kami di kawal dan air di catu.Takut bentan kata mak.Telur tak boleh takut bernanah.Selang dua hari aku balik ke rumah Tok Chah.Pak Tam di tugaskan merawat aku.Dia yang memang seorang medical assisten dalam tentera tahulah sedikit sebanyak.Paling siksa ialah untuk menanggalkan kundang yang dah kering.Selama seminggu air suam di titis supaya kundang dapat di tanggalkan.Hari ke 10 baru tertanggal dan Pak Tam memulakan dressing.Masa tu mak bapak dan adik-adik dah balik ke Taiping.Tinggal aku dan anak-anak Pak Tam di rumah Tok.Aku tidak dibenarkan bermain di tanah.Boleh keluar tengok-tengok saja sepupu bermain.Pakai kain pelikat saja.Sebab lambat sembuh,makanan tetap di pantang oleh Tok.Tapi bila fikir-fikirkan tak rugi apa pun dengan pantangan ini sebab memang masa tu bukan senang nak makan ayam atau telur.Itu di kira barang mewah.So,setiap hari makan nasi dengan ikan tamban goreng.

Tak sabar nak naik darjah 5 sebagai seorang 'dewasa'.