Penile subincision: Difference between revisions

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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.

Subincision 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]}

Cultural traditions

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]

Samburu herdboys of Kenya are said to perform subincisions on themselves (or sometimes their peers) at age seven to ten.^[6] 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.^[7]

References

^ ^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 & 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.
^ Samburru notions of health and disease by P Spencer,1959
^ "Pacific Center for Sex and Society - Sexual Behavior in Pre-contact Hawai'i". www.hawaii.edu. Retrieved 2022-09-12.

External links

[Singer-1] 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.

[2] M Tractenberg (1999). Male and Female Circumcision. George C. Denniston, Frederick Mansfield Hodges, Marilyn Fayre Milos (editors). Springer Science & Business Media. p. 212. ISBN 9780306461316.

[3] Myerhoff 1982: 122

[4] Ken Hale. "Damin". Archived from the original on July 5, 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-16.

[5] Andrew Arthur Abbie (1969). The Original Australians. London: Muller. p. 147. OCLC 640051856.

[6] Samburru notions of health and disease by P Spencer,1959

[7] "Pacific Center for Sex and Society - Sexual Behavior in Pre-contact Hawai'i". www.hawaii.edu. Retrieved 2022-09-12.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{more footnotes|date=August 2011}}
+{{Short description|Body modification involving the slitting open of the underside of the penis}}{{more footnotes|date=August 2011}}
 [[File:Operation of Subincision, Warrumanga Tribe, Central Australia Wellcome M0005682.jpg|thumbnail|Operation of Subincision, Warrumanga Tribe, Central Australia]]
-[[File:Startsubincision.jpg|thumb|Start subincision]]
-'''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 ([[External urethral orifice (male)|meatus]]) toward the base. The slit can be of varying lengths.
+'''Penile subincision''' is a form of [[genital modification or mutilation]] consisting of a [[urethrotomy]], in which the underside of the [[Human penis|penis]] is incised and the [[urethra]] slit open lengthwise, from the urethral opening ([[External urethral orifice (male)|meatus]]) toward the base. The slit can be of varying lengths.
 Subincision was traditionally performed around the world, notably in [[Australia]], but also in [[Africa]], [[South America]] and the [[Polynesia]]n and [[Melanesia]]n cultures of the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]], often as a [[coming of age]] ritual.
-Disadvantages include the risks inherent in the procedure itself, which is often [[self-surgery|self-performed]], and increased susceptibility to [[Sexually transmitted infection|sexually transmitted infections (STIs)]]. The ability to impregnate (specifically, getting [[Semen|sperm]] into the [[vagina]]) may also be decreased.
+Disadvantages include the risks inherent in the procedure itself, which is often [[self-surgery|self-performed]], and increased susceptibility to [[Sexually transmitted infection|sexually transmitted infections (STIs)]]. The ability to impregnate (specifically, getting [[Semen|sperm]] into the [[vagina]]) may also be decreased.{{cn|date=August 2020}}
-Subincisions can greatly affect [[urination]] and often require the subincised male to sit or [[Squatting position|squat]] while urinating. 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.{{cn|date=August 2020}}
+Subincisions can greatly affect [[urination]], often resulting in [[hypospadias]] requiring the subincised male to sit or [[Squatting position|squat]] while urinating.<ref name=Singer/> 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.{{cn|date=August 2020}}
 ==Cultural traditions==
+[[File:Startsubincision.jpg|thumb|Start subincision]]
-Subincision (like [[circumcision]]) is well documented{{Citation needed|date=January 2008}} among the peoples of the [[Central Australia|central desert of Australia]] such as the [[Arrernte people|Arrernte]] and [[Luritja]]. The Arrernte word for subincision is ''arilta'', and occurs as a [[rite of passage]] ritual for adolescent boys.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Male and Female Circumcision|author=M Tractenberg|others=George C. Denniston, Frederick Mansfield Hodges, Marilyn Fayre Milos (editors)|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|date= 1999|isbn =9780306461316|page=212}}</ref>  It was given to the Arrernte by [[Mangar-kunjer-kunja]], a lizard-man spirit being from the [[Dreamtime (mythology)|Dreamtime]]. A subincised penis is thought to resemble a [[vulva]], and the bleeding is likened to [[menstruation]].<ref>Myerhoff 1982: 122</ref>
+[[File:Subincision nomal.jpg|thumb|Subincision]]
-This type of modification of the penis was also traditionally performed by the [[Lardil people]] of [[Mornington Island]], [[Queensland]]. The young men who endured this custom 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 [[Kenneth L. Hale|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rickharrison.com/language/damin.html |accessdate=2008-08-16 |title=Damin |author=Ken Hale |authorlink=Kenneth L. Hale |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705113421/http://www.rickharrison.com/language/damin.html |archivedate=July 5, 2008 }}</ref>
+[[File:Subincision Erection.jpg|thumb|Subincision erection]]
+Subincision (like [[circumcision]]) is well documented{{Citation needed|date=January 2008|reason=Which document?}} among the peoples of the [[Central Australia|central desert of Australia]] such as the [[Arrernte people|Arrernte]] and [[Luritja]]. The Arrernte word for subincision is ''arilta'', and occurs as a [[rite of passage]] ritual for adolescent boys.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Male and Female Circumcision|author=M Tractenberg|others=George C. Denniston, Frederick Mansfield Hodges, Marilyn Fayre Milos (editors)|publisher=Springer Science & Business Media|date= 1999|isbn =9780306461316|page=212}}</ref>  It was given to the Arrernte by [[Mangar-kunjer-kunja]], a lizard-man spirit being from the [[Dreamtime (mythology)|Dreamtime]]. Some academics theorise that a subincised penis is thought to resemble a [[vulva]], and the bleeding is likened to [[menstruation]].<ref>Myerhoff 1982: 122</ref><ref name=Singer>{{Cite journal|doi = 10.1525/aa.1967.69.3-4.02a00070|title = The Australian Subincision Ceremony Reconsidered: Vaginal Envy or Kangaroo Bifid Penis Envy|year = 1967|last1 = Singer|first1 = Philip|last2 = Desole|first2 = Daniel E.|journal = American Anthropologist|volume = 69|issue = 3–4|pages = 355–358|doi-access = free}}</ref> 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 [[Kenneth L. Hale|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rickharrison.com/language/damin.html |access-date=2008-08-16 |title=Damin |author=Ken Hale |author-link=Kenneth L. Hale |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705113421/http://www.rickharrison.com/language/damin.html |archive-date=July 5, 2008 }}</ref>
-Another indigenous Australian term for the custom is ''mika'' or the ''terrible rite''.<ref>{{cite book|author = Andrew Arthur Abbie |authorlink=Andrew Arthur Abbie |title = The Original Australians |publisher = Muller |date =1969 |location =London |page = 147 |url = |oclc = 640051856}}</ref>
+Another indigenous Australian term for the custom is ''mika'' or the ''terrible rite''.<ref>{{cite book|author = Andrew Arthur Abbie |author-link=Andrew Arthur Abbie |title = The Original Australians |publisher = Muller |date =1969 |location =London |page = 147 |oclc = 640051856}}</ref>
-[[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Indigenous]] cultures of the [[Amazon Basin]] also practise subincision, as do [[Samburu people|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.{{cn|date=August 2020}}
+[[Samburu people|Samburu]] herdboys of [[Kenya]] are said to perform subincisions on themselves (or sometimes their peers) at age seven to ten.<ref>Samburru notions of health and disease by P Spencer,1959</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pacific Center for Sex and Society - Sexual Behavior in Pre-contact Hawai'i |url=https://www.hawaii.edu/PCSS/biblio/articles/2000to2004/2004-sexual-behavior-in-pre-contact-hawaii.html |access-date=2022-09-12 |website=www.hawaii.edu}}</ref>
 ==See also==
+* [[Body modification]]
 * [[Meatotomy]]
 * [[Modern primitive]]
-* [[Body modification]]
 ==References==
@@ Line 27: / Line 30: @@
 ==Further reading==
 '''General'''
-*{{cite journal |author=Roheim, Gésa |title=The Symbolism of Subincision |journal=The American Iago  |volume=6 |pages=321–8 |year=1949 |issue=4 |pmid=15408819 }}
+* {{cite journal |author=Roheim, Gésa |title=The Symbolism of Subincision |journal=The American Iago  |volume=6 |pages=321–8 |year=1949 |issue=4 |pmid=15408819 }}
 * [[Bruno Bettelheim|Bettelheim, Bruno]] (1962) ''Symbolic Wounds: Puberty Rites and the Envious Male.'' New York: Collier.
 * [[Peter Farb|Farb, Peter]] (1968) ''Man's Rise to Civilization'' New York: E. P. Dutton p98-101.
 '''Polynesia'''
-*[[Raymond Firth|Firth, Raymond]], (1963) ''We the Tikopia: A Sociological Study of Kinship in Primitive Polynesia''. Boston: Beacon.
+* [[Raymond Firth|Firth, Raymond]], (1963) ''We the Tikopia: A Sociological Study of Kinship in Primitive Polynesia''. Boston: Beacon.
-*[[John Martin (meteorologist)|Martin, John]] (1981) ''Tonga Islands: William Mariner’s Account.'' Tonga: Vava’u Press.
+* [[John Martin (meteorologist)|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
+* 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'''
-*{{cite journal |author=Kempf, Wolfgang |title=The Politics of Incorporation: Masculinity, Spatiality and Modernity among the Ngaing of Papua New Guinea |journal=Oceania |volume=73 |issue=1 |pages=56–78 |year=2002 |doi=10.1002/j.1834-4461.2002.tb02806.x}}
+* {{cite journal |author=Kempf, Wolfgang |title=The Politics of Incorporation: Masculinity, Spatiality and Modernity among the Ngaing of Papua New Guinea |journal=Oceania |volume=73 |issue=1 |pages=56–78 |year=2002 |doi=10.1002/j.1834-4461.2002.tb02806.x}}
-*[[Ian Hogbin|Hogbin, Ian]] (1970) ''The Island of Menstruating Men: Religion in Wogeo, New Guinea''. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland
+* [[Ian Hogbin|Hogbin, Ian]] (1970) ''The Island of Menstruating Men: Religion in Wogeo, New Guinea''. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland
 '''Australia'''
-*{{cite journal |author=Basedow H. |title=Subincision and Kindred Rites of the Australian Aboriginal |journal= The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland|volume=57 |pages=123–156 |year=1927 |doi=10.2307/2843680|jstor=2843680 }}
+* {{cite journal |author=Basedow H. |title=Subincision and Kindred Rites of the Australian Aboriginal |journal= The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland|volume=57 |pages=123–156 |year=1927 |doi=10.2307/2843680|jstor=2843680 }}
-*{{cite journal |vauthors=Cawte JE, Djagamara N, Barrett MG |title=The meaning of subincision of the urethra to aboriginal Australians |journal= British Journal of Medical Psychology|volume=39 |issue=3 |pages=245–253 |year=1966 |pmid=6008217 |doi=10.1111/j.2044-8341.1966.tb01334.x }}
+* {{cite journal |vauthors=Cawte JE, Djagamara N, Barrett MG |title=The meaning of subincision of the urethra to aboriginal Australians |journal= British Journal of Medical Psychology|volume=39 |issue=3 |pages=245–253 |year=1966 |pmid=6008217 |doi=10.1111/j.2044-8341.1966.tb01334.x }}
-*{{cite journal |author=Morrison J. |title=The origins of the practices of circumcision and subincision among the Australian Aborigines |journal=Medical Journal of Australia |pages=125–7 |date=21 January 1967 |volume=1 |issue=3 |doi=10.5694/j.1326-5377.1967.tb21064.x }}
+* {{cite journal |author=Morrison J. |title=The origins of the practices of circumcision and subincision among the Australian Aborigines |journal=Medical Journal of Australia |pages=125–7 |date=21 January 1967 |volume=1 |issue=3 |doi=10.5694/j.1326-5377.1967.tb21064.x |s2cid=45886476 }}
-*[[Ashley Montagu|Montagu, Ashley]] (1974) ''Coming into Being among the Australian Aborigines: The Procreative Beliefs of the Australian Aborigines.'' 2nd ed. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
+* [[Ashley Montagu|Montagu, Ashley]] (1974) ''Coming into Being among the Australian Aborigines: The Procreative Beliefs of the Australian Aborigines.'' 2nd ed. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
-*{{cite journal |doi=10.1097/00000433-198309000-00009 |author=Pounder DJ |s2cid=45293571 |title=Ritual mutilation. Subincision of the penis among Australian Aborigines |journal= The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology|volume=4 |issue=3 |pages=227–9 |date=September 1983 |pmid=6637950 }}
+* {{cite journal |doi=10.1097/00000433-198309000-00009 |author=Pounder DJ |s2cid=45293571 |title=Ritual mutilation. Subincision of the penis among Australian Aborigines |journal= The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology|volume=4 |issue=3 |pages=227–9 |date=September 1983 |pmid=6637950 }}
-*Abley, Mark. ''Spoken Here: Travels Among Threatened Languages''.
+* Abley, Mark. ''Spoken Here: Travels Among Threatened Languages''.
 '''Africa'''
-*{{cite journal |author=Margetts, E.L. |title=Sub-incision of the urethra in the Samburu of Kenya |journal= East African Medical Journal|volume=37 |issue=2 |pages=105–8 |year=1960 |pmid=13766670 }}
+* {{cite journal |author=Margetts, E.L. |title=Sub-incision of the urethra in the Samburu of Kenya |journal= East African Medical Journal|volume=37 |issue=2 |pages=105–8 |year=1960 |pmid=13766670 }}
 ==External links==
 {{commons category|Penile subincision}}
 * [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Subincision_(full_subincision).JPG Commons.wikimedia.org (Warning: shows picture)]
 * [https://web.archive.org/web/20050508202407/http://www2.rz.hu-berlin.de/sexology/GESUND/ARCHIV/GUS/HAWAII.HTM A mention of penile subincision in Hawaii during the early Twentieth Century]
 * [https://web.archive.org/web/20041216112826/http://www3.uakron.edu/hefe/father/fanote1.htm A mention of penile subincision among Papuans]
 * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080705113421/http://www.rickharrison.com/language/damin.html Rickharrison.com]
-* [http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2011/7/11/221725/839 "The story of my subincision" at Kuro5hin.org]
+* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150423051346/http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2011/7/11/221725/839 "The story of my subincision" at Kuro5hin.org]
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Penile Subincision}}
@@ Line 61: / Line 64: @@
 [[Category:Human male reproductive system]]
 [[Category:Indigenous Australian culture]]
-[[Category:Kenyan culture]]
+[[Category:Culture of Kenya]]
 [[Category:Melanesian culture]]
 [[Category:Human penis]]
-[[Category:Samoan culture]]
+[[Category:Culture of Samoa]]
-[[Category:South American culture]]
+[[Category:Culture of South America]]
 [[Category:Urologic surgery]]