Must reclaim the real meaning of initiation rite
IT is once again the popular season of ulwaluko (initiation). It concerns me to witness the rocky present status of ulwaluko in the Eastern Cape.
While I do not disagree that there are and have been problems around ulwaluko, the essence of the ceremony is often lost in all the negativity portrayed when something goes wrong. I write in my personal capacity as a young Xhosa man who has dedicated his writing to advocating and advancing the relevance and significance of ulwaluko kwaXhosa.
So much has been reported during past initiation seasons, to mention a few problems around botched circumcision, hospitalisation of initiates, over-commercialisation, criminal activities and substance abuse which take places at the initiation school. Despite these reported accounts and noise made around this time, I am not interested to explore and defend the area that has the most prevalent cases or not.
I am also not in denial, neither do I negate the fact that there are problems associated with ulwaluko in the Eastern Cape. My interest rather relates to advocacy on the preservation and promotion of initiation rituals as a necessary rite of passage for young boys in South Africa.
What I’ve noticed is that the debate is central to “circumcision”, forgetting that this is just one aspect of ulwaluko. In my opinion for amaXhosa ulwaluko or ukwaluka, meaning the cutting of the foreskin that is circumcision, has a much deeper meaning and purpose.
In this season of ulwaluko, I would like to call for positive commentaries or rather an optimistic view of reclaiming the relevance of this significant practice. Ulwaluko promotes core values of being human and responsible citizens.
One of the main teachings involves the living philosophy of ubuntu expressed in one of the prominent Xhosa idioms, umntu ngumntu ngabantu, which literally means that to be human is to relate with others and also encourages the importance of human relations with the business of society. Most importantly, this phase involves teachings on ubudoda (manhood), resilience and perseverance, respect for self and other people, social role and responsibility.
It is high time that we should revisit the holistic aim of what ulwaluko kwaXhosa seeks to achieve to socialise and educate young Xhosa boys.
This is what makes us who we are as young Xhosa men.
Only we can tell and re-tell the story better.
In retelling my experience of initiation, I recall good memories around teachings of respect for myself and others, the value of formal education and being reminded of my identity as a Xhosa man.
This is a very important topic in South Africa. This is not only because of the public health discourse on the impact of circumcision on the likelihood of contracting HIV/Aids, but most importantly because of the increasing importance of understand- ing what it means to grow up to be a responsible man in one’s society.