Naila and her brothers Justice and Joah are six months old. In Surinamese culture, girls receive earrings at an early age. Very cute of course, until you see that poor girl’s face when two holes are drilled through her ears with an earring shooter. Mother Fahishta initially has a hard time with it. “A mother feels for the child, a father thinks: ping ping bang bang. That’s you,” she snaps at dad Carlo.
“I could cry. I think I’m going to cry soon too,” she continues on the way to the jewelry store. To reassure herself, she tells herself that this is Naila’s greatest wish. “Let me think positively: it’s also fun because Naila wants to be a bling bling girl.” Father Carlo has much less trouble with it. “It will look very cute on her.”
He had the honor of holding his daughter tightly during the process. “Hold upright against you, then hold her two hands with one hand and her head with one hand,” Carlo is told by the sniper who shoots the earrings in. Fahishta watches the scene with dismay. “I would rather have five deliveries without anesthesia, really,” she says.
Then it’s time for it supreme moment. After the first shot, Naila immediately bursts into tears. “Oh my god“, says Fahishta, who also sheds a tear herself. “That look is really burned into my retina.” But she is happy with the end result. “It really suits her.”
How does Fahishta look back on this process? “I think she did a really good job. She’s really a fighter,” she says. “It’s our culture anyway. In my culture we have been doing that from an early age.” Although Justice and Joah can decide for themselves later, the choice for Naila is made according to tradition.
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2024-01-24 18:47:26
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