![Abakwetha in the forest](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Abakwetha_in_the_forest.jpg)
Ulwaluko, traditional
circumcision
Circumcision is a surgical procedure, procedure that removes the foreskin from the human penis. In the most common form of the operation, the foreskin is extended with forceps, then a circumcision device may be placed, after which the foreskin ...
and
initiation
Initiation is a rite of passage marking entrance or acceptance into a group or society. It could also be a formal admission to adulthood in a community or one of its formal components. In an extended sense, it can also signify a transformation ...
from childhood to adulthood, is an ancient initiation rite practised (though not exclusively) by the
Xhosa people
The Xhosa people, or Xhosa language, Xhosa-speaking people (; ) are African people who are direct kinsmen of Tswana people, Sotho people and Twa people, yet are narrowly sub grouped by European as Nguni people, Nguni ethnic group whose traditi ...
, and is commonly practised throughout South Africa. The
ritual
A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence. Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals are characterized, b ...
is traditionally intended as a teaching institution, to prepare young males for the responsibilities of manhood. Therefore, initiates are called ''abakhwetha'' in
isiXhosa
Xhosa (, ) also isiXhosa as an endonym, is a Nguni language and one of the official languages of South Africa and Zimbabwe. Xhosa is spoken as a first language by approximately 8.2 million people and by another 11 million as a second ...
: ''aba'' means a group, and ''kwetha'' means to learn. A single male in the group is known as an ''umkhwetha''. A male who has not undergone initiation is referred to as ''inkwenkwe'' (boy), regardless of his age, and is not allowed to take part in male activities such as tribal meetings.
Practice
The initiation ritual is commonly conducted during late June/early July or late November/ early December.
[Meintjes, G. (1998). Manhood at a price: socio-medical perspectives on Xhosa Traditional Circumcision. Grahamstown: Rhodes University.] During the ritual process the traditional surgeon (''ingcibi'') surgically removes the
foreskin
In male human anatomy, the foreskin, also known as the prepuce, is the double-layered fold of skin, mucosal and muscular tissue at the distal end of the human penis that covers the glans and the urinary meatus. The foreskin is attached to the g ...
. After the cut is made, the period of seclusion that follows lasts about one month and is divided into two phases - but this is rarely the case in modern times and/or in urban areas, where it usually lasts at least 4 weeks. During the first 7 days the initiates are confined to a hut (''bhoma'') and the use of certain foods, for example meat, is restricted, but this may differ as certain homes have their own beliefs or ways of doing things. Water may also be restricted.
This phase culminates in the ''ukojiswa'' rite, during which food taboos are released, marking the transition to the second phase that lasts a further two to three weeks. During these phases the initiates are looked after by the ''ikhankatha'' (traditional attendant). The termination of the period of seclusion commences when the boys are urged to race down to the river to wash themselves, yet again, depending on the location. The hut (''Bhoma'') and the initiates' possessions are burnt, including their clothing. This symbolizes a new outward appearance the initiates must take on. It is even customary for the initiated to dress very formally for a set period of time after the rite. Each initiate receives a new blanket and is now called "ikrwala" (singular) which means new man or ''amakrwala''. (plural) (new men).
Health concerns
At least 969 initiates have died from complications resulting from the ritual since 1995. Accurate statistics are not available for the number of penile amputations, but it is estimated that their number is roughly twice the number of deaths. Most deaths and complications are the result of incompetence on the part of traditional practitioners.
This is the reason why in particular
Pondoland
Pondoland or Mpondoland (Xhosa: ''EmaMpondweni''), is a natural region on the South African shores of the Indian Ocean. It is located in the coastal belt of the Eastern Cape province. Its territory is the former Mpondo Kingdom of the Mpondo peopl ...
is heavily affected by deaths and complications. The
Mpondo
The Mpondo People or simply AmaMpondo, is one of the kingdoms in what is now the Eastern Cape.[Mpondo people]
practised the ritual until
King Faku
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
prohibited it in the 1820s after he had lost several of his sons from complications. Initiation schools re-emerged in the 1980s and 1990s, and the ritual is now being practised on a large scale.
In January 2014,
Desmond Tutu
Desmond Mpilo Tutu (7 October 193126 December 2021) was a South African Anglican bishop and theologian, known for his work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist. He was Bishop of Johannesburg from 1985 to 1986 and then Archbishop ...
urged traditional leadership and government to intervene, and "to draw on the skills of qualified medical practitioners to enhance our traditional circumcision practices." He furthermore emphasised the cultural importance of the ritual as educational institution, preparing initiates "to contribute to building a better society for all."
Over the summer in 2019 in South Africa, a total of 21 boys died in separate initiation schools throughout the region. The majority of the deaths were attributed to dehydration due to the restriction of water. The Health Minister
Zweli Mkhize
Zwelini Lawrence Mkhize (born 2 February 1956) is a South African medical doctor and politician who served as the Minister of Health (South Africa), Minister of Health from May 2019 until his resignation on 5 August 2021. He previously served as ...
recommended that the schools no longer practice the ritual in summer months.
Medical treatment
Victims of failed circumcisions have reported contemplating suicide due to depression and feeling deprived of their manhood.
[The South African Medical Journal. Volume 105 nr 4. Cape Town. April 2015.] In December 2014, the world's first successful penis transplant was performed by a team led by Dr.
Andre van der Merwe. The patient was a 21-year-old man who fell victim of complications due to initiation rituals at illegitimate initiation schools.
On 21 April 2017 a second penis transplant was performed by the same team of doctors led by Dr. van der Merwe on a 40-year-old man who lost his penis 17 years prior to the procedure. Doctors have said that due to the circumstances surrounding illegal circumcision schools, South Africa has become one of the countries with the greatest need for penis transplantation.
Homosexuality
Homosexual men
Gay men are male homosexuals. Some bisexual men, bisexual and homoromantic men may also dually identify as gay, and a number of young gay men also identify as queer. Historically, gay men have been referred to by a number of different terms, ...
in South Africa are still vilified and criticized by their communities. The ritual practise of ‘Ulwaluko’ is a highly respected and sacred cultural practice among the Xhosa and some Nguni speaking peoples of South Africa. It has been alleged that the impact of the practice may threaten the self-esteem of a homosexual young man, although it is not compulsory for any person to go to the 'bush'. Some homosexual men who partook in this ritual reported doing so in order to receive personal validation of cultural manhood, the same can be said of heterosexual uncircumcised men. Other reasons for partaking in Ulwaluko include fulfilling the desire to meet societal expectations as well as pressure from family to ‘convert’ to heterosexuality through the process of Ulwaluko. The Film ‘The Wound’ premiered at the
2017 Sundance Film Festival
The 2017 Sundance Film Festival took place from January 19 to January 29, 2017. The first lineup of competition films was announced November 30, 2016.
Awards
The following awards were presented:
* Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic – ''I Don't Feel at ...
and is inspired by
Thando Mgqolozana
Thando Mgqolozana (born 27 August 1983, in Cape Town, South Africa) is a Mandela Rhodes Scholar, a recipient of the Golden Key International Honour for Scholastic Achievement, and one of the ''Mail & Guardian''’s Top 200 Young South Africans of ...
novel ‘A man who is not a man’ which focuses on the experiences of homosexual men during ‘Ulwaluko’. Xhosa traditional leaders criticized the film as being ‘disrespectful’, ‘undermining Xhosa culture’ as it showcased hidden traditions. It in fact reveals nothing of the Xhosa people. The film has been compared to the Oscar winning ''
Moonlight
Moonlight consists of mostly sunlight (with little earthlight) reflected from the parts of the Moon's surface where the Sun's light strikes.
Illumination
The intensity of moonlight varies greatly depending on the lunar phase, but even the ful ...
''. The practice of 'ulwaluko' is furthermore governed by several pieces of legislation to promote the safety and protection of underage initiates who have fallen victim to unhygienic practices at illegal initiation schools, these laws include the South African Constitution (1996), the Children's Act (2005), the (Eastern Cape) Application of Health Standards in Traditional Circumcision Act (2001), and the Traditional Health Practitioners’ Act (2004).
Modern day perceptions
![Hugo xhosa-initiates-after-circumsion-ritual-ulwaluko-in-their-bedroom-mthatha-2008-for-press](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/Hugo_xhosa-initiates-after-circumsion-ritual-ulwaluko-in-their-bedroom-mthatha-2008-for-press.jpg)
The ancient ritual of Ulwaluko is still perceived as relevant by young Xhosa men, and Xhosa people.
dedetyana, 2019It is a sacred family-oriented practice. Many are emotionally attached and find cultural significance in the ritual.
Male circumcision
Circumcision is a procedure that removes the foreskin from the human penis. In the most common form of the operation, the foreskin is extended with forceps, then a circumcision device may be placed, after which the foreskin is excised. Topic ...
is accessible in the hospital/clinical setting however, this option has not replaced Ulwaluko as it does not equate to the cultural meaning of Ulwaluko beyond the removal of the foreskin.(Mdedetyana, 2019) Several ceremonies take place before the young person 'enters' in which the family gathers to seek blessings and see the boy off. The young boys are reintroduced to their ancestors and 'uQamata', they are taught about their history, are taught discipline, to be family men and how to be responsible young people who contribute positively to society. There is absolutely (or should not be) no sex in the bush, hetero or otherwise, as it is considered a holy place safe for children (like Sunday school). Women and young women are not allowed, although in some families even young children may be allowed visitation as young children are venerated and represent purity and innocence. Therefore, the sexual identity of the initiate himself is less of a consideration, if at all, as he is himself still a boy child, therefore his innocence is not severed at the incision but marks (inxeba) a bittersweet transition from boy to man. He is not 'made' a man in the 'bush'.
Controversies
Details of the ritual are not supposed to be disclosed to females or non-initiated males; according to the principle of 'what happens in the bush, stays in the bush', according to some sources. Cultural prejudice may be so great that uncircumcised or 'improperly' circumcised men are attacked and beaten for their lack of conformity, it is not clear conformity to what or the link to the short term practice itself.
In March 2014 a young man was assaulted after he had spoken out during a community meeting about the complications he sustained through the ritual.
While working in South Africa, Dutch medical doctor Dingeman J. Rijken treated many patients with medical complications from Ulwaluko. In January 2014 he set up the websit
ulwaluko.co.zato "inform prospective initiates and the broader community about the dark secrets of the ritual." The website includes detailed information about the medical problems accompanying the ritual and offers possible solutions to mitigate these risks. It also features a gallery of over 150 photographs of penises injured through botched ritual circumcisions, with complications including
infection
An infection is the invasion of tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmissible disease or communicable dise ...
,
gangrene
Gangrene is a type of tissue death caused by a lack of blood supply. Symptoms may include a change in skin color to red or black, numbness, swelling, pain, skin breakdown, and coolness. The feet and hands are most commonly affected. If the ga ...
, and
autoamputation Autoamputation is the spontaneous detachment (amputation) of an appendage or organ from the body. This is not to be confused with self-amputation. It is usually due to destruction of the blood vessels feeding an extremity such as the finger tips. O ...
. The photos, taken by Dr. Rijken and other medical providers, were published with patient consent. The publication of these photographs sparked outrage among many traditional leaders in the
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha.
The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in ...
. They demanded that the
South African Film and Publication Board (FSB) shut down the website, even though the FSB was not the responsible authority. The Board however ruled that the website was "scientific with great educative value," addressing a "societal problem needing urgent intervention."
[Film and Publication Board (2014)]
Media release on ulwaluko.co.za
. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
See also
*
Lebollo la banna
''Lebollo la banna'' is a Sesotho term for male initiation.
''Lebollo'' is a cultural and traditional practice that transitions boys in the Basotho society to manhood. It is a rite of passage where ''dzwiya'' () pass puberty and enter adulthood ...
*
Intonjane
*
Onofotyela
References
{{reflist
24. ^ Mdedetyana, L.S. 2019. Medical male circumcision and Xhosa masculinities: Tradition and transformation, A mini-thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Magister Artium in Medical Anthropology in the department of Anthropology and Sociology, University of the Western Cape. http://etd.uwc.ac.za/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11394/6629/mdedetyana_arts_2019.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
External links
The boys who lost their manhood– about young men who suffered from penile amputation due to complications of the ritual.
Circumcision
Xhosa culture
Transplantation
Rites of passage