Cultural imperative matures

BEING a Xhosa man from the Eastern Cape, what defines masculinity, manhood, and rite of passage is being Umkwetha, an initiate.

However, circumcision and initiation touches on cultural sensitivities, on anxieties and bitter debates every year in June and December.

Some people have labelled this ritual a barbaric genital mutilation. Some people want it abolished and replaced with medical circumcision.

These divergent views are not surprising. After all, every year hundreds of boys enter initiation schools.

While most survive and return as men, some come back badly injured and others have died through botched circumcision.

The Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) ministry said out of a total of 183 680 initiates who went to the initiation schools across the country, 119 initiates died.

Cogta said the Eastern Cape accounted for 52 of the deaths, with Mpumalanga lying second with 37.

Despite arrests related to the deaths, only 11 people have been convicted from the total of 90 people who were arrested over the same period.

The point is, we cannot wish away this important cultural practice, which is as old as humanity. Its philosophical underpinning is even found in Bible verses. Its purpose is to gain entry into adulthood. It is practised across the world in one form or another. For example, in the Jewish tradition, circumcision ( brit milah) is performed by the mohel or circumciser on the eighth day after birth.

In the Muslim faith, the Koran does not mention circumcision but it is regarded as a tradition. Some Islamic theologians even insist that Mohammad and other prophets were born circumcised. Important Islamic practices like conversion, the pilgrimage to Mecca, and even prayer require circumcision.

What happens at initiation schools after circumcision is meant to be instructive to our children so that they go through a transition from boyhood to manhood that renders them acceptable adults for reincorporation into society.

I know that some people may not necessarily accept initiation schools as the best way to introduce youths to adulthood. But it is a known fact that, intuitively, children may not attain full social maturity until they have shown themselves worthy.

Accordingly Cogta has identified various causes and issues which sometimes damage the circumcision ritual.

Says Cogta: “The majority of injuries and fatalities that occur at initiation schools are due to the apparent incompetence and greed by surgeons performing the circumcision ritual on male initiates.”

“In the context of male circumcision and HIV and Aids, there is a grave risk that the observance of the custom could be a breeding ground for the disease since it is alleged that in many instances the surgical instrument is used on more than one boy at a time without it being sterilised.

“Modern medication is not allowed at initiation schools, resulting in the deterioration of health conditions. Some initiation schools have been opened for personal financial gain only, with the result that the initiates and their well-being are of less importance,” says Cogta.

What are we doing as the provincial government to regulate initiation schools? We are signatories to Cogta’s new policy proposals on the customary practice of initiation which call for strict compliance measures for initiation schools to curb the deaths. Once passed into law, the policy will see the establishment of national and provincial bodies that will regulate, oversee and inspect initiation schools to ensure they comply with statutory laws.

Traditional leaders and surgeons who run and administer these schools are being closely monitored and accredited by national and provincial houses of traditional leaders, officials from the Department of Traditional Affairs and health authorities.

Despite the fierce annual debate on circumcision, researchers and the medical fraternity have documented the benefits of circumcision. Amongst others, they have said circumcision:

May decrease risk of penile cancer in adults;

May prevent inflammation or infection of the foreskin;

May decrease risk of urinary tract infection;

May decrease risk of sexually transmitted diseases;

And underpins social acceptance in cultures that value circumcision

In the end, for most Xhosa males, circumcision is a rite of passage.

Phumulo Masualle is the premier of the Eastern Cape