The ceremony of the synet in Dibër e Madhe

Abstract

In Dibra e Madhe, the ceremony of the synet (circumcision) rite is performed like a wedding one, because there is no distinction between the two. You see people come, other expenses leading to the big dinner where Albanian singers usually sing. People along with their cousins, who live abroad, come to attend the ceremony of synet.
Synet is celebrated and felicitated by all those who hear about it both in the quarters and in the town.
As in any other special event in the man’s life, synet has its own ritual, which has little changed.
On the scheduled day of synet, people get up early in the morning and women start to sing a beautiful song. There comes the time when the boy gets a bath in order to be clean for the circumcision rite. Even for this part, the residents have created three other songs, which accompany the boy’s bathing rite.
Later the boy will put on new or clean, washed and ironed clothes. Even while the boy puts on the clothes, an especial song for this moment is sang. Thus, as it is understood, the people have “recorded” every action that takes place during the beautiful ceremony of synet.
In Dibra e Madhe, it is preserved the custom of wearing the child who is going to be circumcised with royal robes. The top wear is a golden cape, Also the wreath over head and staff or scepter to be kept in the hands are of gold. Later, the boy dressed in clothes, accompanied by the women (which have performed the rite to escape the evil eye) enters to the men’s room, who felicitate with him.
As soon as the boy comes out the room, they express a du’a (pray) to Allah for an easygoing and successful synet. After coming back home, first the men and later, the women, go to donate money to the boy according to their closeness with his family and their economic situation.
In the evening, it is held a dinner in one of the best restaurants of Dibra e Madhe, where, perhaps the most favorite room is dressed with red velvet and the tables are well-arranged, but there is also enough room to dance.