Enjoy authentic traditional ceremony feasting

LAST Saturday I gate-crashed umgidi (an initiation ceremony) in Worcester – a friend of a friend was invited and I just happened to be around when the event was discussed and invited myself in the process.

I’ve never been to a city umgidi and that’s what I miss most about the rural areas at this time of the year. One doesn’t get traditional dishes more authentic than the food from these types of ceremonies

Cutting the story short, we got to Worcester and a big group of women dressed in their traditional attires approached the car singing and ululating.

By this time we realised that we were expected to bring a gift for ikrwala (new man). We were welcomed and treated like royalty, regardless of the fact that only one out of the four knew a cousin of ikrwala. Delicious food was decked out as well as drinks.

The unwarranted respect and hospitality made us feel embarrassed and out of shame we decided to go to the nearest ATM, put some money together and give it as a gift to izibazana (the mother of ikrwala).

One of the dishes cooked at the ceremony was tripe which was seasoned to perfection. I couldn’t help but laugh as one of my gatecrashing companions drank the gravy from the tripe. It’s not every day one gets food by omama at a traditional ceremony. They can cook!

I recreated the tripe from umgidi and served it with steam bread. While cooking this dish one needs to make sure there is sufficient gravy to dunk the steam bread. When was the last time you attended a traditional ceremony?

www.mzansistylecuisine.co.za