The ritual: Traditional customs must be observed before the boys are sent to the initiation schools. If any of these procedures aren’t followed correctly it could have a severe impact on the boys while they are busy with their initiation into manhood.
If a baby boy has not undergone the Imbeleko ritual whereby a castrated male goat is slaughtered to introduce him to the ancestors of the clan, he has to do the ritual before he leaves for the bush or mountain. If this is not done then the boy might not respond positively to the initiation process. As for physical readiness the boys must be checked to see if they have performed the Ukuphondla and the Ukuqhawula, this is the process whereby the foreskin that covers the head of the penis is pulled down and the three arteries that connect the head of the penis to the shaft are cut off. Both these processes are extremely painful and can take up to a week to heal. Both these processes can be done long before the boys are ready to go to the initiation schools although most boys tend to delay the process until their late teens.
The boy’s initiation ceremony into manhood has financial implications and the immediate family responsible for the ritual would meet to discuss the budget. Once they have reached consensus, a date for the ceremony will be set for the boy to go to the initiation school. These include paying for a traditional surgeon (Inqcibi) and a traditional nurse (Ikhankatha). On the behavioural side, the boy is instructed to abstain from doing certain things, including refraining from sexual intercourse for at least seven days before the circumcision. He must not consume alcohol at least a day before the actual circumcision. Disobeying any of these restrictions may result in undesirable results during circumcision and the healing period. The boy’s father or any of the male elders of the clan will organise an experienced traditional surgeon Ingcibi and a traditional nurse Ikhankatha. It is the responsibility of the traditional surgeon to cut the boys foreskin, while the traditional nurse will be entrusted with looking after the boys during the initiation period.
Because the initiation ceremony is strongly believed to be sacred by the Xhosas, both the Inqcibi and the Ikhankatha must be of sober habits.On the day of the ceremony the boys leave for the mountain early in the morning, accompanied only by men who have already done the initiation ritual. Arriving in the mountains the boys run to the river to bath themselves. By the time they come back from the river, a lodge ibhoma has already been built for them where they will stay for the duration of their initiation period. In urban areas the lodge is build from plastic and the cardboard boxes. As soon as the boy arrives at his lodge he is instructed to sit flat on the ground with his legs wide open. All this time the traditional doctor hides behind the bushes, avoiding contact with everyone. It is only when the boy is ready that he will appear, walk straight to the boy and examine the boy to see if he has undergone the Ukuqhawula and Ukuphondla. Once he is satisfied that this has been done, he takes out a traditional dagger and in a swift motion he cuts the boy’s foreskin.
The boy is then instructed to shout “Ndiyindoda”(I am a man),the boy’s facial expression is closely observed when he shouts these words. He must not show any signs of having felt the pain. If he shows any signs that he has felt the pain,this indirectly indicates that he is not likely to endure the pains that will follow and he may decide to escape from the mountain. It is the responsibility of the traditional nurse to keep a close eye on the boy during this period. Immediately after the foreskin is cut all the men present at the initiation ceremony will examine the boy to satisfy themselves that the traditional surgeon has done a proper operation. From his bag the traditional healer will take out a special leaf Isichwe which he will wrap around the boys wound with a traditional bandage Ityeba. The boy is then led into the lodge which also signals the end of the traditional healer’s involvement in the initiation ceremony. From this point onwards the traditional nurse provides the nursing care duties. The boy is now referred to as an Umkhwetha(an initiate).
For the first day he will be smeared with mud on his bald head and face. From the second day onwards he will smear his whole body and face with white clay which helps to protect him from snakes and keeps him clean as he cannot bath until he has healed completely. The initiates do not wear any formal clothing but covers themselves with blankets. The first week is the most painful and critical period. The traditional nurse has to ensure that the wound is kept clean and the traditional bandage Ityeba and special leave Isichwe are changed 3 times a day. Every time the traditional bandages and traditional leaves have to be changed, the initiates undergo new pain. They are not allowed to drink pure water during the first week. The only sip of water they must take during this period is always mixed with white clay. The only food they must eat is half cooked dry grains of maize with no salt or fats.
Only natural herbs are used as medication during this period. After the 7 day period and only once the traditional nurse is happy with the healing process, the mother or any family member who cooks for the boy, is instructed to start cooking him food with salts but no fats. The initiate is now also allowed to drink pure water, tea and coffee. After about 2 weeks the wound will show signs of healing. During this time a goat or sheep will be slaughtered. This ceremony is called Ukojiswaand is in a sense giving permission to the initiate to start eating fatty foods and to hunt wild animals for their meat. He is now allowed to go to the river to bath on a regular basis. Only his face is now smeared with white clay and this makes it easy to differentiate between the new initiates known as ooMakoti and the older cured initiates known as Amaqqala. The dress code also changes and the Amagqala no longer cover themselves with a blanket except on cold days. In urban areas Amagqala will cut up a blanket to make themselves a short skirt called Isibheshu and a matching top. Hats or caps are made out of cardboard. After four to five weeks the Amagqala are completely healed and they are ready to be sent home. Only the men are allowed to fetch the boys from the mountain.
On the day of his return home the men chase him to the river to wash. On his return from the river the elderly relative anoints him with a special ointment and smears his whole body with white margarine. He is then covered with a new white blanket and he hoists a black stick in front of his face. His face is covered with only an opening for one eye so that he can see path home. His lodge is now set alight and burned along with all the belongings he used during the initiation period, depicting the new beginning as a man. He is not supposed to look back and see his lodge being burned down. On his way home he is assisted by the boy who helped him in the lodge during the initiation period. This boy also hoists a black stick and is covered with a new white blanket as well. When he arrives home he is led to the kraal where the admonition of the young (Ukuyalwa)takes place.
The first people to have that opportunity are the elderly men of the community. They will give him gifts such money or livestock. During the warning of the young, he is told to respect older people and the society at large. He will then be dressed in new clothes and sent to join other members of his social status (Amakrwala).
Legends of the Xhosa Ritual:
Imbeleko: A castrated male goat is slaughtered for a baby boy to introduce him to the ancestors of the clan.
Ukuphondla: The pulling down of the foreskin that is attached and covers the head of the penis.
Ukuqhawula: Cutting off of all three arteries that connect the head of the penis to the shaft.
Inqcibi: Traditional surgeon.
Ikhankatha: Traditional nurse.
Ibhoma:Lodge
Ndiyindoda: I Am A Man.
Isichwe: A herb or a leaf that is used to cure the operation of the initiate
Ityeba: A traditional bandage that is used to cover the operation of the initiate.
Umkhwetha: An initiate.
Ukojiswa :A ritual whereby a goat or a sheep is slaughtered for the initiate to celebrate and confirm his healing progress.
Ukuyalwa: A practice when elders of the community advice the ikrwala about the accepted ways of life and how a Xhosa man should conduct himself.
Amakrwala: A brand new man.