INITIATES BACK HOME
Chief lauds success rate
THEY chanted and waved sticks into the air to welcome back the 510 initiates who had spent four weeks in the bush undergoing rites of passage into manhood.
At the weekend residents of villages around GaDikgale near Polokwane, Limpopo, were among thousands across the province who celebrated the graduation of their initiates as the season came to a close.
On Saturday, the “young men” walked into the senior headman’s quarters with their bodies covered in red clay and adorned with colourful bead necklaces.
Some of the lessons about being a man learned during their time at the mountain would remain lifelong secrets never to be uttered again.
The womenfolk, however, did not seem bothered by this as Joyce Mogale, 63, blew a horn and led the singing and dancing in celebration.
“Aga, Aga, Aga!” she called out as her feet landed gently on the dusty ground.
“I am happy to see that our children are back home alive. Initiation is important for us because it strengthens and protects them from diseases,” Mogale said.
The provincial chairman for the house of traditional leaders Chief Malesela Dikgale, who also reigns over GaDikgale village, said of the 325 schools which were initially approved for this year’s season, only one had their permit cancelled.
Dikgale said the school was disqualified after it was found that they did not have a suitable venue.
He said the season had gone off to a bumpy start with eight people who were denied permits to run schools challenging the decision in court. Their court bid failed, Dikgale said.
Although the province had hoped for a zero death initiation season, he said two boys died in the Mopani and Waterberg districts.
He said a postmortem and police investigation would reveal if the 14year-old initiate in Waterberg died after engaging in fights, as it had been claimed.
Dikgale said they considered the season a success as Limpopo maintained its long-standing record of having a low death rate.
“The matter of medical checkups is working in our favour. Some people were checked and instructed to take medications before going for initiation,” he said.
Dikgale said the challenge for next year would be to get schools to comply with the age requirement because boys who were under the stipulated age of 12 were being admitted, some as young as eight years.
“We are concerned that some cannot resist [undermining rules].”
Outside the chief’s homestead excited relatives picked up their children as they sang in jubilation.
Mapula Seabe from Manthending village said they were going to throw a big party to celebrate her nephew’s homecoming.
“We have prepared food and alcohol. It’s going to be a big celebration. We missed him a lot,” Seabe said.