4. Going It Alone

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In many cultures circumcision is am very common tradition. In most cultures it is strictly limited to males and is usually performed prior to adulthood. The Xhosa of South Africa take no prisoners where this ritual is concerned. Well, actually they do, since the guest of honor is treated to a feast and then escorted to the mountains where he is confined to a small hut that was built by his family. At his leisure, a surgeon drops in on the lad and performs the circumcision, sometimes using a dull blade. The boy then must remain confined to the hut without food or drink until he has healed. Complications are not uncommon since the instruments used to perform the circumcision are used on many different boys.