The face of hurt

There is an interesting story about this photo but if you are a man, and squeamish, look away now.

 

This little boy was wearing a dress and I thought he was a girl. I asked his mum if I could take his photo because he wasn't smiling and every other child was running and smiling. She lifted his dress and I saw a very sore little penis. I thought she was telling me that he was a boy even though he was wearing a dress but later our guide told me it is customary to show guests a boy's recently circumcised penis as it is a celebration. The guests would then offer the little boy a toy or money. The operation is done with sharpened bamboo and the night before the boy is kept awake all night so that he may sleep after the procedure. The grandfather of the boy eats the foreskin with a banana! There is medicine made from local plants to reduce the risk of infection but not to assist with pain, hence the bringing of toys to take his mind off it. There is a tribe in Madagascar who shoot the foreskin out of a gun! I think that is preferable to eating it.

Done