One of my favorite things about foreign travel is observing the culture and talking to locals to learn their perspectives on life. While driving through one small town, I spotted the "New Improved Bull Washing Bar." How could I not have a picture of that for all my Texas longhorn friends? Most of our travel from point to point takes us over deeply rutted pockmarked red dirt roads (since there are only 2 paved roads in all of Uganda) for bone-jarring distances that leave us all needing a massage and a glass of wine--or two or three or heck, the whole bottle. Our slow speed gives us plenty of time to observe each tiny village and scrutinize the countryside while pumping our driver for information.
Yesterday he told us about Ugandan circumcision rituals--ouch! About every 3 years (or whenever the local "chief" declares), all the males from about 11-13 are rounded up for a public village ceremony to prove how brave they are and that they are truly ready to become adults. An elder throws a rock into the air while the "surgeon?" makes a swift cut on the hapless victim. He had better not flinch or he disgraces his family. For those who somehow manage to become invisible or duck out, the consequences eventually catch up with them. Edward told us about one government official who was reported as having evaded the knife (darn those public urinals!). The tribal chief paid him a little visit to inquire whether or not this rumor was true. When the official vigorously denied it, the chief insisted on visible "proof" which the man could not provide. Within days man was captured, disrobed, dragged naked through the streets (covered only in gray ash) while onlookers jeered at him, and he was VERY publicly sliced and diced.
Girls, on the other hand, essentially experience genital mutilation and are held down by their male relatives while the "surgeon" carves away in a much longer and more painful process. Several women's groups and health organizations are trying to change local customs, not only for girls but also for boys. Some families in the bigger cities have their boy babies operated on in the hospital during birth, and there are billboards that encourage early performance of this act as a protection against aids (which it is not). Now you might think that being born in a hospital is better than being born in the bush, but the hospitals are mostly government run, lack supplies, and charge exorbitant fees even though they are supposed to be "free." Plus the doctors claim there is a shortage of medication, but if the patient just goes to the doctor's personal clinic, he can have what he needs for an additional exorbitant sum, and the meds may or may not be out of date or be of substandard quality. If you want to live a long life, you had better not get sick!
Yesterday he told us about Ugandan circumcision rituals--ouch! About every 3 years (or whenever the local "chief" declares), all the males from about 11-13 are rounded up for a public village ceremony to prove how brave they are and that they are truly ready to become adults. An elder throws a rock into the air while the "surgeon?" makes a swift cut on the hapless victim. He had better not flinch or he disgraces his family. For those who somehow manage to become invisible or duck out, the consequences eventually catch up with them. Edward told us about one government official who was reported as having evaded the knife (darn those public urinals!). The tribal chief paid him a little visit to inquire whether or not this rumor was true. When the official vigorously denied it, the chief insisted on visible "proof" which the man could not provide. Within days man was captured, disrobed, dragged naked through the streets (covered only in gray ash) while onlookers jeered at him, and he was VERY publicly sliced and diced.
Girls, on the other hand, essentially experience genital mutilation and are held down by their male relatives while the "surgeon" carves away in a much longer and more painful process. Several women's groups and health organizations are trying to change local customs, not only for girls but also for boys. Some families in the bigger cities have their boy babies operated on in the hospital during birth, and there are billboards that encourage early performance of this act as a protection against aids (which it is not). Now you might think that being born in a hospital is better than being born in the bush, but the hospitals are mostly government run, lack supplies, and charge exorbitant fees even though they are supposed to be "free." Plus the doctors claim there is a shortage of medication, but if the patient just goes to the doctor's personal clinic, he can have what he needs for an additional exorbitant sum, and the meds may or may not be out of date or be of substandard quality. If you want to live a long life, you had better not get sick!
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