Penile subincision is a form of genital modification or mutilation consisting of a urethrotomy, in which the underside of the penis is incised and the urethra slit open lengthwise, from the urethral opening (meatus) toward the base. The slit can be of varying lengths.
Operation of Subincision, Warrumanga Tribe, Central Australia
Subincisions can greatly affect urination, often resulting in hypospadias requiring the subincised male to sit or squat while urinating.[1] The scrotum can be pulled up against the open urethra to quasi-complete the tube and allow an approximation to normal urination, while a few subincised men carry a tube with which they can aim.[citation needed]
Subincision (like circumcision) is well documented[citation needed] among the peoples of the central desert of Australia such as the Arrernte and Luritja. The Arrernte word for subincision is arilta, and occurs as a rite of passage ritual for adolescent boys.[2] It was given to the Arrernte by Mangar-kunjer-kunja, a lizard-man spirit being from the Dreamtime. Some academics theorise that a subincised penis is thought to resemble a vulva, and the bleeding is likened to menstruation.[3][1] This type of modification of the penis was also traditionally performed by the Lardil people of Mornington Island, Queensland. The young men who underwent the procedure were the only ones to learn a simple ceremonial language, Damin. In later ceremonies, repeated throughout adult life, the subincised penis would be used as a site for ritual bloodletting. According to Ken Hale, who studied Damin, no ritual initiations have been carried out in the Gulf of Carpentaria for half a century, and hence the language has also died out.[4]
Another indigenous Australian term for the custom is mika or the terrible rite.[5]
Indigenous cultures of the Amazon Basin also practise subincision, as do Samburu herdboys of Kenya, who are said to perform subincisions on themselves (or sometimes their peers) at age seven to ten. In Samoa, subincision of the foreskin, skin located along the tip of the penis, was ritually performed upon young men, as in Hawaii, where subincision of the foreskin is reported to have been performed at age six or seven.[6]
^ abSinger, Philip; Desole, Daniel E. (1967). "The Australian Subincision Ceremony Reconsidered: Vaginal Envy or Kangaroo Bifid Penis Envy". American Anthropologist. 69 (3–4): 355–358. doi:10.1525/aa.1967.69.3-4.02a00070.
^M Tractenberg (1999). Male and Female Circumcision. George C. Denniston, Frederick Mansfield Hodges, Marilyn Fayre Milos (editors). Springer Science & Business Media. p. 212. ISBN9780306461316.
^"Pacific Center for Sex and Society - Sexual Behavior in Pre-contact Hawai'i". www.hawaii.edu. Retrieved 2022-09-12.
Further readingedit
General
Roheim, Gésa (1949). "The Symbolism of Subincision". The American Iago. 6 (4): 321–8. PMID 15408819.
Bettelheim, Bruno (1962) Symbolic Wounds: Puberty Rites and the Envious Male. New York: Collier.
Farb, Peter (1968) Man's Rise to Civilization New York: E. P. Dutton p98-101.
Polynesia
Firth, Raymond, (1963) We the Tikopia: A Sociological Study of Kinship in Primitive Polynesia. Boston: Beacon.
Martin, John (1981) Tonga Islands: William Mariner’s Account. Tonga: Vava’u Press.
Diamond, M. (1990) Selected Cross-Generational Sexual Behavior in Traditional Hawai’i: A Sexological Ethnography, in Feierman, J. R. (Ed.) Pedophilia: Biosocial Dimensions. New York: Springer-Verlag, p422-43
Melanesia
Kempf, Wolfgang (2002). "The Politics of Incorporation: Masculinity, Spatiality and Modernity among the Ngaing of Papua New Guinea". Oceania. 73 (1): 56–78. doi:10.1002/j.1834-4461.2002.tb02806.x.
Hogbin, Ian (1970) The Island of Menstruating Men: Religion in Wogeo, New Guinea. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland
Australia
Basedow H. (1927). "Subincision and Kindred Rites of the Australian Aboriginal". The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 57: 123–156. doi:10.2307/2843680. JSTOR 2843680.
Cawte JE, Djagamara N, Barrett MG (1966). "The meaning of subincision of the urethra to aboriginal Australians". British Journal of Medical Psychology. 39 (3): 245–253. doi:10.1111/j.2044-8341.1966.tb01334.x. PMID 6008217.
Morrison J. (21 January 1967). "The origins of the practices of circumcision and subincision among the Australian Aborigines". Medical Journal of Australia. 1 (3): 125–7. doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.1967.tb21064.x. S2CID 45886476.
Montagu, Ashley (1974) Coming into Being among the Australian Aborigines: The Procreative Beliefs of the Australian Aborigines. 2nd ed. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
Pounder DJ (September 1983). "Ritual mutilation. Subincision of the penis among Australian Aborigines". The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology. 4 (3): 227–9. doi:10.1097/00000433-198309000-00009. PMID 6637950. S2CID 45293571.
Abley, Mark. Spoken Here: Travels Among Threatened Languages.
Africa
Margetts, E.L. (1960). "Sub-incision of the urethra in the Samburu of Kenya". East African Medical Journal. 37 (2): 105–8. PMID 13766670.
External linksedit
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January 01, 1970
penile, subincision, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, august, 2011, learn, when, remove, this, template, messag. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations August 2011 Learn how and when to remove this template message Penile subincision is a form of genital modification or mutilation consisting of a urethrotomy in which the underside of the penis is incised and the urethra slit open lengthwise from the urethral opening meatus toward the base The slit can be of varying lengths Operation of Subincision Warrumanga Tribe Central AustraliaSubincision was traditionally performed around the world notably in Australia but also in Africa South America and the Polynesian and Melanesian cultures of the Pacific often as a coming of age ritual Disadvantages include the risks inherent in the procedure itself which is often self performed and increased susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections STIs The ability to impregnate specifically getting sperm into the vagina may also be decreased citation needed Subincisions can greatly affect urination often resulting in hypospadias requiring the subincised male to sit or squat while urinating 1 The scrotum can be pulled up against the open urethra to quasi complete the tube and allow an approximation to normal urination while a few subincised men carry a tube with which they can aim citation needed Contents 1 Cultural traditions 2 See also 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksCultural traditions edit nbsp Start subincision nbsp Subincision nbsp Subincision erectionSubincision like circumcision is well documented citation needed among the peoples of the central desert of Australia such as the Arrernte and Luritja The Arrernte word for subincision is arilta and occurs as a rite of passage ritual for adolescent boys 2 It was given to the Arrernte by Mangar kunjer kunja a lizard man spirit being from the Dreamtime Some academics theorise that a subincised penis is thought to resemble a vulva and the bleeding is likened to menstruation 3 1 This type of modification of the penis was also traditionally performed by the Lardil people of Mornington Island Queensland The young men who underwent the procedure were the only ones to learn a simple ceremonial language Damin In later ceremonies repeated throughout adult life the subincised penis would be used as a site for ritual bloodletting According to Ken Hale who studied Damin no ritual initiations have been carried out in the Gulf of Carpentaria for half a century and hence the language has also died out 4 Another indigenous Australian term for the custom is mika or the terrible rite 5 Indigenous cultures of the Amazon Basin also practise subincision as do Samburu herdboys of Kenya who are said to perform subincisions on themselves or sometimes their peers at age seven to ten In Samoa subincision of the foreskin skin located along the tip of the penis was ritually performed upon young men as in Hawaii where subincision of the foreskin is reported to have been performed at age six or seven 6 See also editBody modification Meatotomy Modern primitiveReferences edit a b Singer Philip Desole Daniel E 1967 The Australian Subincision Ceremony Reconsidered Vaginal Envy or Kangaroo Bifid Penis Envy American Anthropologist 69 3 4 355 358 doi 10 1525 aa 1967 69 3 4 02a00070 M Tractenberg 1999 Male and Female Circumcision George C Denniston Frederick Mansfield Hodges Marilyn Fayre Milos editors Springer Science amp Business Media p 212 ISBN 9780306461316 Myerhoff 1982 122 Ken Hale Damin Archived from the original on July 5 2008 Retrieved 2008 08 16 Andrew Arthur Abbie 1969 The Original Australians London Muller p 147 OCLC 640051856 Pacific Center for Sex and Society Sexual Behavior in Pre contact Hawai i www hawaii edu Retrieved 2022 09 12 Further reading editGeneral Roheim Gesa 1949 The Symbolism of Subincision The American Iago 6 4 321 8 PMID 15408819 Bettelheim Bruno 1962 Symbolic Wounds Puberty Rites and the Envious Male New York Collier Farb Peter 1968 Man s Rise to Civilization New York E P Dutton p98 101 Polynesia Firth Raymond 1963 We the Tikopia A Sociological Study of Kinship in Primitive Polynesia Boston Beacon Martin John 1981 Tonga Islands William Mariner s Account Tonga Vava u Press Diamond M 1990 Selected Cross Generational Sexual Behavior in Traditional Hawai i A Sexological Ethnography in Feierman J R Ed Pedophilia Biosocial Dimensions New York Springer Verlag p422 43Melanesia Kempf Wolfgang 2002 The Politics of Incorporation Masculinity Spatiality and Modernity among the Ngaing of Papua New Guinea Oceania 73 1 56 78 doi 10 1002 j 1834 4461 2002 tb02806 x Hogbin Ian 1970 The Island of Menstruating Men Religion in Wogeo New Guinea Prospect Heights IL WavelandAustralia Basedow H 1927 Subincision and Kindred Rites of the Australian Aboriginal The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 57 123 156 doi 10 2307 2843680 JSTOR 2843680 Cawte JE Djagamara N Barrett MG 1966 The meaning of subincision of the urethra to aboriginal Australians British Journal of Medical Psychology 39 3 245 253 doi 10 1111 j 2044 8341 1966 tb01334 x PMID 6008217 Morrison J 21 January 1967 The origins of the practices of circumcision and subincision among the Australian Aborigines Medical Journal of Australia 1 3 125 7 doi 10 5694 j 1326 5377 1967 tb21064 x S2CID 45886476 Montagu Ashley 1974 Coming into Being among the Australian Aborigines The Procreative Beliefs of the Australian Aborigines 2nd ed London Routledge and Kegan Paul Pounder DJ September 1983 Ritual mutilation Subincision of the penis among Australian Aborigines The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology 4 3 227 9 doi 10 1097 00000433 198309000 00009 PMID 6637950 S2CID 45293571 Abley Mark Spoken Here Travels Among Threatened Languages Africa Margetts E L 1960 Sub incision of the urethra in the Samburu of Kenya East African Medical Journal 37 2 105 8 PMID 13766670 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Penile subincision Commons wikimedia org Warning shows picture A mention of penile subincision in Hawaii during the early Twentieth Century A mention of penile subincision among Papuans Rickharrison com The story of my subincision at Kuro5hin org Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Penile subincision amp oldid 1219464225, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
