Xhosa Rituals

 

Xhosa Rituals: the initiation School ( As told by K.F)

Why this custom:

The Xhosa culture in South Africa practice the art of circumcision to prepare and teach young boys the diverse techniques and responsibilities of resisting the challenges of being a man.  The boys are taken to initiation schools in the bush or mountain for a couple of weeks where they are taught how to make quick and correct decisions, to respect those more senior than (to) them as well as how to be selective about what they consume in their lifetime as a man.

What is the right age? When are the boys old enough to go the initiation school?

The boys themselves cannot unilaterally claim that they are ready to go (to) initiation schools; they can only express their desire to do so. Drawing from experience the elders of the clan are the only ones that are qualified enough to make this decision. Factors taken into consideration are age, mental and physical maturity and in some cases education.

The ritual:

Traditional customs must be observed before the boys are sent to the initiation schools.  If any of these procedures aren’t followed correctly it could have a severe impact on the boys while they are busy with their initiation into manhood.

If a baby boy has not undergone the Imbeleko ritual whereby a castrated male goat is slaughtered to introduce him to the ancestors of the clan, he has to do the ritual before he leaves for the bush or mountain.  If this is not done then the boy might not respond positively to the initiation process.

As for physical readiness the boys must be checked to see if they have  performed the Ukuphondla  and the Ukuqhawula, this is the process whereby the foreskin that covers the head of the penis is pulled down and the three arteries that connects the head of the penis to the shaft is cut off. Both these processes are extremely painful and can take up to a week to heal.  Both these processes can be done long before the boys are ready to go to the initiation schools although most boys tend to delay the process until their late teens.

The boy’s initiation ceremony into manhood has financial implications and the immediate family responsible for the ritual would meet to discuss the budget. Once they have reached consensus a date for the ceremony will be set for the boy to go to the initiation school.  These include paying for a traditional surgeon (Inqcibi) and a traditional nurse (Ikhankatha)

On the behavioural side, the boy is instructed to abstain from doing certain things, including refraining from sexual intercourse for at least seven days before the circumcision day and consuming alcohol at least a day before the actual circumcision. Disobeying any of these restrictions may result in undesirable results during circumcision and the healing period.

The boy’s father or any of the male elders of the clan will organise an experienced traditional surgeon Ingcibi and a traditional nurse Ikhankatha.  It is the responsibility of the traditional surgeon to cut the boys foreskin, while the traditional nurse will be entrusted with looking after the boys during the initiation.  Because the initiation ceremony is strongly believed to be sacred by the Xhosa clan, both the Inqcibi and the Ikhankatha must be of sober. On the morning of the ceremony the boys leaves for the mountains early accompanied only by men who have done the initiation ceremony before.

Arriving in the mountains the boys run to the river to bath themselves.  By the time they come back from the river a lodge Ibhoma has already been build for them where they will stay for the duration of their initiation ceremony.  In urban areas the lodge is build from plastic and the cardboard boxes.  As soon as the boy arrives at his lodge he is instructed to sit flat on the ground with his legs wide open.  All this time the traditional doctor (Ingcibi) hides in the bushes avoiding contact with everyone.  It is only when the boy is ready that he will appear, walk straight to the boy and examine to the boy to see if he has undergone the Ukuqhawula and Ukuphondla. Once he is satisfied that this has been done he takes out a traditional dagger and in a swift motion he cuts the boy’s foreskin.  The boy is then instructed to shout Ndiyindoda (I am a man), the boys facial expression are closely observed when he shouts these words. 

The boys must not show any signs of having felt any pain.  If he has suffered any pain it indirectly indicated that he is not likely to endure the pains that will follow and he may decide to escape from the mountain. It is the responsibility of the traditional nurse to keep a close eye on the boys during this period.  Immediately after the foreskin is cut all the men present at the initiation ceremony will examine the boys foreskin to satisfy themselves that the traditional surgeon has done a proper operation.  From his bag the traditional healer will take out a special leave Isichwe which he will wrap around the boys wound with a traditional bandage Ityeba.  The boy is then led into the lodge which also signals the end of the traditional healer involvement during the initiation ceremony.  From this point on the traditional nurse provide the nursing care duties.

The boy is now referred to as an Umkhwetha (an initiate).  For the first day he will smeared with mud on his bald head and face.  From the second day onwards until the traditional nurse gives the all clear he smears his body with white clay which helps to protect him from snakes and keeps him clean as he cannot bath until he has healed completely.  The initiates do not wear any formal clothing but covers him with a blanket.  The first week is the most painful and critical period.  The traditional nurse has to ensure that the wound is kept clean and the traditional bandage Ityeba and special leave Isichwe are changed 3 times a day.

Every time the bandages and leaves have to be changed the initiates undergo new pain.  They are not allowed to drink pure water during the first week. The only sip of water they must take during this period is always mixed with pure white clay.  The only food they must eat is half cooked dry grains of maize with no salts or fats.  Only natural’s herbs are used during this period as medication.  After the 7 day period and once the traditional nurse is happy with the healing process the mother of another family member will be instructed to start cooking food for the initiate with salts but no fats. The initiate are now also allowed drinking pure water, tea and coffee.

After about 2 weeks the wound will show signs of healing. During this time a goat or sheep will be slaughtered.  This ceremony is called Ukojiswa and is in a sense giving permission to the initiate to start eating fatty foods and to hunt wild animals for their meat.  He is now allowed to go to the river to bath on a regular basis.  Only his face is now smeared with white clay this makes it easy to differentiate between the new initiates Makoti and the older cured initiates Amaqqala.  The dress code also changes and the Makoti no longer covers themselves with a blanket except on cold days. In urban areas the Makoti will cut up a blanket to make himself a short skirt called Isibheshu and a matching top.  Hats or caps are made out of cardboard

After four to five weeks the Makoti are completely healed and they are ready to be send home.  Only the Amaqqala are allowed to fetch the Makoti from the mountain.  On the day of his return home the men chase him to the river to wash.  On his return from the river the elderly relatives anoints him with a special ointment and smears his whole body with white margarine. They are then covered with a new white blanket and they hoist a black stick in front of their face. Their faces are covered with only an opening for one eye so that they can see path home. His lodge is now set alight and burned along with all the belongings he used during the initiation period, depicting the new beginning as a man.  The Makoti is not suppose to look back and see his belonging being burned down,  On his way home he is assisted by the boy who helped him in the lodge during the initiation period. This boy also hoists a black stick and covered with a new white blanket.

When he arrives home he is led to the kraal where the admonition of the young (Ukuyalwa) takes place. The first people to have that opportunity are the elderly men of the community. They will give him gifts such money or livestock. During the warning of the young, he is told to respect older people and the society at large. He will then be dressed in new clothes and sent to join other members of his social status (Amakrwala).

Glossary of the Xhosa Ritual:

Imbeleko: A castrated male goat is slaughtered for a baby boy to introduce him to the ancestors of the clan.

Ukuphondla: The boy must be checked if he has pulled down the foreskin that is attached and covers the head of the penis.

Ukuqhawula: Cutting off of all three arteries that connect the head of the penis to the shaft.

Inqcibi: An experienced traditional surgeon.

Ikhankatha: An experienced traditional nurse.

Ibhoma: Lodge

Ndiyindoda: I Am A Man

Isichwe: Special Leaves

Ityeba. Traditional bandages

Umkhwetha: An Initiate

Ukojiswa: This is the time when a goat or sheep will be slaughtered.

Ukuyalwa:

Amakrwala: Social Status

Makoti: New Initiate

Amagqala: Old cured Initiate

Isibheshu: A short skirt

Izigqwathikazi: Contact with women