Malay Birth OMT 100

cukur jambul

Definition of cukur jambul

Cukur jambul is the baby's very first haircut, done in accordance with Malay

tradition. It is an important rite of passage and is very much seen as an occasion for

the extended family to come together, renew bonds and welcome the new baby into

the clan. "It is a time for us to share our joy with friends and relatives," explains

Sharliza Salleh, who remembers the cukur jambul ceremonies for her son Afiq and

daughter Alya, with great fondness. Afiq's ceremony was held in his paternal

grandmother's house in the Klang Valley; Alya's was held in her great-grandparents'

home in Tapah, Perak.

Many cultures around the world practise some form of tonsure ritual for newborns or

babies. Some remove just a few locks; others call for baby's hair to be completely

shaved. Both seem to be acceptable for the cukur jambul (also known in the northern

peninsula as berendoi).

SITUATION OF CUKUR JAMBUL CEREMONY

1. Time and place of cukur jambul is held

The cukur jambul ceremony generally coincides with the end of period the

confinement (pantang) observed by the new mother, which lasts between 40 and 44

days.

Sharliza's children had theirs 42 days after birth.

On the other hand, Hanani Liza Abdul Jalil of Ipoh, Perak, organised the cukur

jambul for her niece's daughter Aqilah when the baby was five months old – an

unusual delay, but no less festive and meaningful for it. "The ceremony was held at

her great-grandmother's house in Kuala Sungai Baru in Melaka as she was keen to

show off her first great-grandchild. The whole clan went all the way back there

although her parents, Fazlina and Amir, are based in Kuala Lumpur." Not

surprisingly, Aqilah's great-grandmother had invited the entire kampung to the

kenduri, where she served up traditional delights such as nasi minyak, rendang and

ayam masak merah.

Indeed, many new parents choose to hold the ceremony at the home of a respected

family elder, but this is not always convenient or possible, owing to sheer logistics

such as the size of the property and the number of guests.

2. The event for cukur jambul

Most new parents invite family and close friends. Yet others also include

neighbours and colleagues. However, a big and lavish kenduri is not mandatory. A

low-key and intimate affair with only close family members can be just as meaningful.

Some new parents choose to hold no party at all.

3. Procedure of cukur jambul

In a traditional cukur jambul, the baby's hair is tonsured and then ultimately buried in

the ground. The closest family members are always invited to witness the event.

Usually, prayers are recited or sung (also known as marhaban or berzanji).

Everything in-between depends largely on family tradition and regional customs.

Putra Dani Nashrin's cukur jambul ceremony was held 44 days after his birth in

Selangor. In his case, the enthusiasm of his paternal grandparents played a role in

the size and scale of the celebrations. His mother, Tengku Rinanda Putri Tengku

Aziz, recalls: "We were all so excited, especially my in-laws because Dani is their first

grandchild. He is my parents' fourth grandchild but they were equally excited

because I'm their youngest and the only girl."

The ceremony was held at Dani's paternal grandparents' house in Subang Jaya,

Selangor. There were some 150 guests, including family, close friends and

colleagues. "My mother-in-law had a special marhaban dais made," Rinanda recalls.

"It cost her around RM3,000! It was decorated with fresh flowers and my son's

photos from the time he was born up to that day. She also bought a crib made from

rattan, and Dani was placed in it when they began the marhaban."

The cukur jambul usually begins in the late morning with a reading from the Quran or

the marhaban or berzanji.

The new father or mother then carries the baby to each person who will snip off a

lock – usually grandparents, family or village elders, members of the marhaban or

berzanji group, and religious leaders. It is customary (though not compulsory) for

those who do the honours to present the baby with a little gift in cash or kind. The

locks are put into either a bowl of water or a

young coconut cut and shaped into a bowl. In

some families, it is also customary to weigh

the locks and donate its weight in gold (or the

cash equivalent) to the poor and needy. Once

the ceremony ends, this hair is then buried. Dani's father, Mohammad Najmie

Noordin, buried it in the backyard of their home.

Another important element in the cukur jambul is the dulang or ceremonial tray which

holds the scissors and the young coconut (or bowl of water). Often, these are

accompanied by daun kunyit (turmeric leaves), bunga rampai (fragrant bouquet

which usually includes pandan leaves, jasmine and frangipani), and perhaps some

honey and dates.

Guests are usually then served food and drinks. These days, it is common to see

traditional Malay dishes such as nasi briyani, nasi minyak, kambing guling, ayam

masak merah and gulai daging served alongside chocolate cakes and Western fare.

And while it used to be that guests were presented with a quintessentially Malay

bunga telur (a hardboiled egg enclosed within a single flower) as a party favour,

these days they are sent off with sweets and cakes, too. Little Aqilah's guests in

Melaka also received slices of layer cakes packed in tiny silver boxes, sweets and

yellow sticky rice with rendang in cups. Baby Dani's guests even got muffins and little

chocolates embossed with his face!

Tips for a safe cukur jambul

Whatever the size and scale of your baby's cukur jambul, these handy tips can help.

Ensure that your baby is well rested before the ceremony begins. It may be

difficult to handle a baby who is cranky and upset. Fortunately for Rinanda,

"my baby slept throughout the ceremony. He only woke up for his feed."

Little Aqilah, being five months old, was able to participate a little more. "She

looked a bit wary being held by so many people," her great aunt Hanani Liza

recalls, "but she was an angel! She definitely enjoyed being in the centre of

attention."

For hygiene purposes, it is best to buy a new pair of scissors or razor for the

cukur jambul.

If your baby's hair will be completely shaved, consider applying some

antiseptic cream or lotion to heal those nicks and cuts on your baby's head.

Consultant paediatrician and BabyCenter expert Dr Winston Yong says he

has seen impetigo develop after baby's head is shaved.

Ensure that your baby is dressed appropriately. If there's going to be a lot of

people, the room could get quite hot and sticky. Natural cotton material is

best.

malay pantang

New mums in the Malay community generally consider the 44-day confinement

period a test of patience. At the same time, a great number of Malay women readily

and willingly observe the restrictions and taboos that are part and parcel of this time-

honoured postnatal tradition. It is said that women who diligently follow the traditional

Malay confinement practices or pantang will regain their pre-baby figure, health and

energy levels, as well as their looks.

Malay confinement is essentially an all-encompassing process that aims to preserve

the health and femininity of Malay women. According to Datin Sharifah Anisah,

founder of Nona Roguy (now NR) and author of Ensiklopedia Perbidanan Melayu

(Encyclopaedia of Malay Midwifery), confinement practices stem from the belief that

the womb is a woman's life force and affects her overall health. Thus, a healthy

womb ensures that a woman stay radiant and alluring.

Modern research support the role played by the village midwife (bidan kampung) in

the postnatal period and confirm the benefits of some postnatal practices, including

massage and avoiding excessive physical activity.

Anthropologists explain that Malay postnatal practices are based on centuries-old

understanding of four "elements":

soil, which is dry;

fire, which is hot;

air, cold;

water, wet.

These elements must be balanced in the body for a person to enjoy good health.

Midwifery knowledge is also said to be a gift from God to privileged individuals and

families, with the intent that they help women from all walks of life. Thus, the village

midwife is viewed as a gift to the women in the village.

Today, many urban new mothers in the Malay community find themselves unable to

fully observe the practices of the traditional confinement, mainly because they lack

the family and community support that made pantang possible. Traditionally, a new

mum in confinement is helped by either:

a bidan (traditional midwife);

a specialised nanny or carer;

or, her own mother or mother-in-law.

It is widely acknowledged that without someone to help, it would be difficult to fully

observe the confinement taboos and practices for all 44 days.

However, some practices are still observed by many Malay women. Some have been

adapted to suit more urban lifestyles. Read more about:

Bengkung (the traditional wrap or girdle)

Postnatal massage

Jamu

Hot compress

Herbal baths and others

http://www.babycenter.com.my/baby/traditions/cukur-jambul/

Pantang: Confinement After Childbirth

Mother in pantang (confinement).

Just when you think you are home safe after finally giving birth to your bundle

of joy, then comes pantang, the confinement period observed by Malaysians after

childbirth. I have very little knowledge about this matter, especially since (i) my

mother is Filipina and (ii) my Malaysian mother-in-law does not really care much

about these things, so I will share with you what little I know to give you an idea of

what pantang is and what it involves.

The word ‘pantang‘ comes from the phrase ‘pantang larang‘ which means

‘taboo’ so from the term ‘pantang‘ itself, you can already tell that there are many

prohibitions involved in the said confinement period.

For starters, both mother and baby are expected to stay put at home, hence

the term ‘confinement’ period which can be 30 days, 40 days, 44 days or 45 days,

depending on your race (the Malays, Chinese, and Indians all have their own

versions of pantang!) or to be more specific, your mother or your mother-in-law. For

someone who’s always on the go like me, this part of the confinement has got to be

the hardest. I can’t go anywhere. I. Just. Stay. Home. It comes to the point when I

practically welcome trips to the clinic or hospital, just to get out of the house. [NB: But

when little Peanut got prolonged jaundice and had to go for almost daily blood tests

at the hospital, I didn't like that at all. And wished we could just stay home. I also got

horrified looks from aunties in the hospital waiting room when they found out Peanut

was just a few days old and I was already out and about...until they found out he had

jaundice. Talk about 'peer pressure' of sorts!] I suppose there is some wisdom to this

“house arrest” portion of pantang. After all, newborn babies’ immune systems are still

very fragile so keeping them home for the first month of their lives means limiting

their exposure to microbes. Mothers also stand to gain from all this rest, whether we

like it or not. So I’ve always tried my best to follow this part the best I could. With

emphasis on the “tried my best” part ;) *cough* *cough*

With my eldest, I was stubborn and didn’t feel I needed the rest so just a week

after giving birth, I was driving already. I suffered a mysterious pain in my lower back

after that for many years, a pain that extended all the way down to my right leg which

would induce cramps at the most inopportune times. There’d be instances when my

right foot and toes would just stiffen up while I’m driving so it got pretty scary. The

problem was only resolved after countless chiropractor treatments and numerous

acupuncture sessions. From that time on, I never drove again during my confinement

period with my other children.

Anyway, as I was saying, there are many prohibitions during the confinement

period and food takes up a major portion of it. The new mother is expected to avoid

foods that are considered cold or berangin (closest translation: ‘causing wind’) lest

they cause joint pain or muscle pain or general body weakness to the new mother.

Examples of such food are cucumbers, watermelon, swamp cabbage (kangkung),

durian, long beans, French beans, cabbage, Chinese cabbage. Foods that can

potentially cause itchiness are also to be avoided, especially when you have stitches

— certain types of fish, shrimps, crabs, some even go as far as not eating eggs.

Spicy food is also a big no-no because the chili might make the baby’s stomach

upset through the breastmilk. Again, the list of forbidden foods would depend largely

on your mother, your mother-in-law, or — surprise! — how your baby reacts to

certain foods, eg my little Peanut somehow gets terribly fussy and gassy when I take

dairy products so I’ve been forced to give it all up.

Haruan

Foods like the haruan fish (Channa striatus) is highly recommended because

it’s supposed to help promote healing of wounds and stitches. It’s so popular in

Malaysia that they come in the canned variety as well as in bottles as pati ikan

haruan (essence of haruan fish). Me? I could never stand its taste and smell…but

I’ve healed properly even without it, thank you.

The new mother is also expected to wear socks (to avoid getting the feet cold)

day and night, as well as a corset, which traditionally is a very long piece of cloth that

is wound all around you, called bengkung. The bengkung is wide enough to cover the

area just under your breasts all the way to the top of your thighs and forces you to sit

up straight. Unfortunately, I find it very cumbersome to put on so I settled for the next

best thing — a modified version with loops which is tied like those corsets from the

Middle Ages. I also have the modern corsets with those tiny hooks that fasten in

front. Here are some Google image results for bengkung, just to give you an idea of

how these tummy wraps look like.

Types of ‘Bengkung’

As if it’s not difficult enough to be bound day and night, before putting on the

bengkung, you’re supposed to rub a mixture of kapur sirih (limestone paste —

available from your nearby Indian sundry shop) and limau nipis (lime juice) on your

tummy. This mixture makes my skin feel very itchy but somehow I find it effective in

making my tummy shrink better as compared to just using the bengkung ‘plain’.

Limau nipis (lime)

Kapur sirih (limestone paste)

The Chinese have it the worst — the new mother is not allowed to wash her

hair for 30 days. Some say 21 days but most of my Chinese friends follow 30 days.

This is the part that many Chinese ladies dread the most about confinement. This

prohibition has naturally led to an array of those so-called dry shampoo products in

the market. (But, as you know…there’s nothing like getting all that water and sudsy

shampoo into your hair and scalp!) This practice is supposed to prevent “wind” from

entering the body, which is said to be the cause of joint problems in later years. By

the way, the Chinese refer to confinement as ‘zhuo yue‘, which is literally translated

into “sitting still for a month”.

Urut (massage) is also a must for a lady in confinement. Now this is the part that I

like. Carrying a baby for nine months wreaks havoc on your posture and joints and

there’s nothing like urut to fix all that. Urut is always done in three sessions, with the

first session hurting the most, and the third session feeling the most relaxed. Mind

you, the massage has an added element — something that involves ‘lifting’ your

womb back up. I’m not sure if this thing really works but I’ve just gone along with it,

despite it feeling a bit uncomfortable. Some people do the massage about a week

after giving birth, then towards the end of the pantang. Some do it everyday. But the

minimum is at least three sessions not too long after giving birth.

The massage can go hand in hand with bertungku — heating up a special large flat

stone then using it to warm certain key points in your body. Sometimes they use

special leaves to wrap the stone in before wrapping it in kain batik (batik cloth) before

applying it on your body. This practice is supposed to help dispel wind. I don’t care

what it actually does — I just know it feels good! Every woman who’s had hot stones

treatment in a spa would surely agree with me on that ;)

Some herbs and spices are also traditionally taken during pantang. The herbs, called

jamu, have already evolved into capsule form in the recent years and can cost up to

hundreds of Ringgit for a whole month’s package. Doctors, however, strongly advise

against taking jamu when the baby is jaundiced. Many of these jamu preparations

contain kunyit (tumeric) and may cause the baby to look yellower than ever. Spices

like black pepper and ginger are said to be good for dispelling wind.

There are so many other details involved in the Malay practice of berpantang, such

as tying up the hair very high and applying pilis (a mixture of cinnamon bark pounded

with garlic) on to the forehead. There are herb-infused baths and washes, also

something called param to apply all over the body after bathing — a mixture of rice

flour, ginger, tumeric and black pepper.

Pilis for the forehead.

In this modern day and age, lots of people (like me!) don’t know much about

the proper way of berpantang and resort to hiring ladies who specialise in such

matters. For a fee (not cheap, mind you!), those ladies would go to your house daily,

massage you, do the bertungku thing, help you with your bengkung, bathe the baby,

even cook for you. There are even special confinement houses now, very popular

among the Chinese — you’d check in as you would into a hotel and stay there for the

entire duration of your confinement. It’s not cheap (think: a few thousand Ringgit for

the entire confinement) but for some people, when it comes to their health, the sky’s

the limit.

A major difference among the Chinese and Malays is the consumption of rice wine

(with the alcohol “steamed” away) during confinement by the Chinese to help warm

the body. The Malays, of course, cannot consume any alcohol in any amount.

The problem with pantang is how some of the information has been warped

through the years. Some people go to extreme lengths, only allowing the new mother

to eat steamed rice with ikan bilis (dried anchovies) cooked with black pepper! This

just doesn’t make sense medically because it’s not a balanced diet AND it is sadly

lacking in fiber, which is much needed in order to avoid constipation. Some people

even limit their liquid intake to just one glass per meal — said to avoid bloating —

which is utter nonsense, considering that a breastfeeding mother needs fluids for milk

production. For ladies who are of Javanese descent, they can’t even lie down flat for

the entire duration of their pantang — they have to sleep on pillows arranged at a 45-

degree angle.

L'Occitane Huile Souplesse

Personally, I follow the “house arrest” portion of pantang as much as possible and

also take care of my food intake to some degree (e.g. I eat eggs, to the horror of

some ladies) because I’ve noticed my babies responding adversely to certain types

of food, eg the twins feverishly tossing and turning the whole night when they were

babies after stubborn old me consumed a considerable amount of durian the day

before. I also have urut and bertungku and use bengkung for as long and as often as

my skin can tolerate it. I also use the icky kapur and lime juice mixture for my tummy

as much as I can tolerate it (I skip it when it gets too itchy on certain days and resort

to modern stuff like L’Occitane’s Huile Supplesse with almond oil — please don’t

judge me!). I also drink lots of fluids to help me with my milk production.

Oh, and by the way, little Peanut wears his baby barut, as well. But it’s meant

to keep his tummy warm hence it’s not bound as tightly as my bengkung.

Baby Peanut's tummy wrapped warm and snug in a barut

If you have all the resources (household help/nanny, ladies to take care of

you, etc), pantang can be a very relaxing time, an opportunity to be pampered even.

But if you’re like most mothers like me (despite the fact that I have a maid and my

mother is around to do stuff like do my grocery shopping and pick up/send the kids

to/from school), pantang can be a very stressful time especially if you have other

children already. Whatever the case, I believe pantang has its benefits and I strongly

encourage younger people who scoff at it to at least follow the “house arrest” and

rest portion . You may not feel any difference during your youth but you will definitely

feel the difference as you start to get older.