The proud grandparents in Singapore hosted the “Cukur Rambut” or Hair Shaving ceremony especially for Spud in conjunction with our visit back home last week. The ceremony was held on the same day as the “Kenduri Doa Selamat” (aka Thanksgiving Feast), symbolical of saying grace for the arrival of a healthy baby.

Apparently, such a ceremony will generally coincide with the end of the confinement period (pantang) observed by the new mother, which lasts between 40 and 44 days. (I was not following the confinement that strictly). But because of logistical issues – we being in Bangkok with no other family members in sight – Spud’s “Cukur Rambut” was postponed till we could make it back to Singapore.

The “Cukur Rambut” began in the afternoon where prayers were recited or sung (also known as marhaban or berzanji), with a reading from the Quran by the marhaban group. After about an hour or so, the new father, in this case, Silver Bullet, had to carry Spud to each person who will snip off a lock – usually done by grandparents, family or members of the marhaban 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 a bowl of water. 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. As custom has it, the cut hair is then buried once the ceremony ends. (I forgot to ask my mom what they actually did with the hair at the end of the ceremony!)

As soon as the ceremony ended, guests were served with food and drinks, and presented with the quintessentially Malay bunga telur (a hard boiled egg enclosed within a single flower) as a party favour.

As I learnt, hair shaving is not peculiar to the Malays. In fact, the Chinese and Hindus also carry out Hair Shaving as a symbol of cleansing. For the Malay community, the “Cukur Rambut” is regarded as 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.

Introduced Spud to my side of the clan we did! While many people were really happy to have finally met our little baby, Spud initially seemed a tad overwhelmed by noise and the sheer number of people giving her the attention.She got somewhat bothered and cranky while trying to find some solace on her Papa’s cushioned-chest.

As the crowd dispersed by the end of the day, her mood tremendously improved. She then spent a good 2 solid hours playing with random strangers in a private corner of her grandparents’s place where she can roll about freely to her hearts content. It was clear that she has a preference for a one-on-one attention with one or two people rather than many people at once.