Diverse cultures in Matatiele, near the border between South Africa’s Eastern Cape and Lesotho, are still linked by an initiation ritual for young girls.
Various tribes, including the amaHlubi, amaXhosa, and baSotho, circumcise their young girls.
Fourteen girls from kwaSibi village in Matatiele were welcomed back after undergoing this rite of passage.
However, views on this ritual differ.
Some believe that it is a form of preserving indigenous cultures, while others view it as an extreme violation of human rights.
Female circumcision is a tradition that is still practiced in many parts of West, East and North Africa. In Matatiele, this tradition is still practiced by conservative and indigenous communities.
While some are against it, those who practice this tradition believe it teaches young girls to be responsible and about womanhood.
Parent of one of the girls, Makatiso Ramabele says, “We want our daughters to stick to the rules of life, to grow under our guidance, we want them to stay away from boys, we want to teach team on how to approach life and also skilling them. We are preparing them to be better wives that can handle pressures they will have to encounter when they get married.”
This tradition also includes traditional healers who are called upon to bring light to the young women’s journey and to cast off any evil spirits in their way.
“There are people that were against this initiation, even here in the village, they were saying there will be only three young women that will go for this but throw the power of the lord and ancestors here are the girls, they came out in numbers. Criticism is good, and I would like to thank the witches because witches make my business booming, if there were no witches I would have not been called to come and fight evil spirits in this ritual. I thank them, today I will go home with a cow because of the witches.”
Many parents are excited about the safe return of their daughters from the mountains.
The actual traditional surgical procedure remains a deep secret.
“What we are doing in the bushes it’s our secret, I am not going to tell you our secrets. If you were a circumcised woman I wouldn’t have any problem I would have just divulged everything but unfortunately you are not, so I cannot.”
Although Gender Activists regard this practice as a human rights violation, it is supported by the Eastern Cape Queen’s forum.
Eastern Cape Amakhosikazi Akomkhulu Organiser, Nkosikazi Nomandla Mhlauli had this to say.
“We just support any culture as custodians of culture and customs. Even here in the Eastern Cape, there are those who are practicing it, especially from Matateile, but the details I am not aware of, as you know that culturally especially when it comes to the actual practice of it, it is known by those who have gone through and participated.”
Gender and Human rights activists want the custodians of initiation practices to ensure that the rights of these young girls are not violated.
