Would you go for a circumcision without pain relief medication?-these people do.

While most of us go to hospitals to carry out circumcision where you are given pain relief drugs, a certain ethnic group in Uganda known as the Bagisu do it live-they circumcise without pain relief in front of the public.

Who are these people?

The Bagisu people are founded on the eastern part of the Mountain Elgon. Another name for them is the masaba. They speak a local dialect of the lumasaba language called the Lugisu.

Where did this live circumcision come from?

The origin of this practice is uncertain but many have point it to certain factors and stories:

Many have claimed that it was a demand by the banpa when Masaba, their local ancestor wanted to marry. Others say it was due to a complication with the man sexual organs, to save his life; they had to do a circumcision. Another interesting story that came up is that circumcision was a punishment for fornication.

How is it done?

The person to be circumcised announces it publicly by dancing around several towns. They start the process by putting on a traditional wear, and they start to dance traditionally with the help special band. These band members play several tunes while being followed by an entourage. People especially the young one love their music called akadodi - they follow them whenever they go. You can easily recognize that this is the person to be circumcised even at hundreds of meters away from the entourage by observing their traditional hat. The person who is to be circumcised wears this hat. The hat is specifically large in a triangular form with the base being worn in their head. The color of this hat is white and black. Some Bagisu decorate it with several lights so that it is visible during the night.

After the announcement, they get ready for the circumcision in public with the help of a circumciser and his assistant. They use special knives to do so.

The circumcision is so fast. The assistant circumciser pulls the foreskin of the penis and the circumciser cuts it off. He then cuts another layer of the penis which is believed to into the top cover of the penis if this not removed. Finally, he cuts off a certain muscle on the lower part of the penis.

If that is done, you are now declared a man.

This kind of practice has started to attract tourists apart from the famous gorilla tracking safaris which are booked through companies like gorilla tour booking safaris,www.gorillatourbooking.com.