VaRemba complete initiation

OVER 200 men and youth from the VaRemba community from across the Midlands province graduated after spending nearly a month in the bush for their cultural initiation.

The initiation process, which includes indoctrination and circumcision, is an annual event where young men and other people from the VaRemba tribe retreat to the bush.

The event is usually conducted every August and is common among the VaRemba in Mberengwa and the Shangaan in some parts of Chiredzi.

In an interview yesterday, one of the VaRemba tribe elders, Mr Yusorf Zhou, said they camped in the Chemagora area in Gokwe after they failed to do so in Mberengwa due to the shrinking of space.

He said the boys and men got into camp on July 31.

“They have been in camp for the whole month and they are now ready to come out,” he said.

“We will be leaving the camp this week after a month of initiation. They are now part of the community and most of the men who were in camp are from Mberengwa’s Chief Mposi area.”

Mr Zhou said he was happy that they were getting support from the Ministry of Health and Child Care, as well as National Aids Council (NAC) in their programmes.

“When the boys came into camp, we needed food and some materials to use such as blankets and the NAC has been helping us in that regard,” he said.

“We have some non-governmental organisations that also chipped in with foodstuffs.”

NAC Midlands provincial manager Mr Mambewu Shumba said they started partnering the VaRemba community last year.