Tips: This article is 1083 words, and the reading time is about 4~5 minutes.
In a remote mountain village in Nepal, an unknown Xi continues – a man must sacrifice one of his kidneys in order to marry a wife. This village, because of its amazing traditions, is secretly called "Kidney Cutting Village".
Here, the kidneys ceased to be an essential organ of the human body, they became a currency of exchange, a bride price, a sign of social status. To the outside world, this practice may be full of shock and incomprehension, but for the men of the village, it is the price they must pay for love, for family responsibilities.
Bride at a wedding in Nepal
Over time, almost all the men in the village had only one kidney left. Instead of being placed in some sacred place as a sign of respect, their kidneys were cut off and sold in exchange for a few faded dollars. Five hundred dollars, for these men, can mean half a year or even a year of worry-free livelihood. In this predominantly agricultural village, it is difficult to ensure a continuous and stable income through daily work. Thus, $500 can lift a family out of poverty temporarily.
Group action is a common scenario in the trading process. Men would get together and haggle with black market doctors or middlemen. If they can provide a few eligible kidneys at once, they can usually get a better price. This practice is not only about livelihoods, but also a social phenomenon. Men who don't have scars on their bodies are often looked at differently and even seen as cowards.
"Group crime"
The women and children in the village also have their own feelings about this. Some women feel sad and even guilty about this sacrifice of their future husbands, and their hearts are filled with mixed emotions. The children, on the other hand, learn to Xi the actions of adults in silence, and have their own understanding and awareness of this phenomenon from an early age.
But behind this Xi, there is endless suffering and tragedy. Those men who are forced to sell their kidneys have to endure not only physical pain, but also psychological pressure. Post-operative complications, chronic fatigue, and other health problems can compromise their quality of life. On the operating table, anesthetics are often scarce, and the cruel practice of taking kidneys from living organisms has left many people struggling with pain.
When families have no one left to continue to provide for their kidneys, the threat of poverty once again befalls them. Some families even fell into deeper despair because there was no more "capital" left to sell. In addition, violence has occurred from time to time. Some men do not hesitate to physically assault others for money, and some victims even lose their lives.
"Warishu Village"
Although the villagers are angry and helpless at the incompetence of the outside police, their lives must go on. In this context, the scar became a singular social symbol. It represents a man's courage, his commitment to his family, and even his worth and status. During the wedding season, the hospital is often crowded with men waiting to have their kidneys cut, and they silently endure the physical separation for love and family.
The story of the "kidney-cutting village" shows us how poverty and despair force people to go to extremes, and how human dignity and physical integrity are turned into goods that can be evaluated and traded by the market. This is not just a story about a remote village in Nepal, it is a profound reflection on the entire human community. How should we respond to this reality, and how should we speak out globally to end this exploitation of human bodies and dignity?