UyiNdoda Na?

Unathi Kondile 02 April, 2007 11:39 Hard News Permalink Trackbacks (0)

Umthunzi Wentaba has been canned! Good! I’ve never watched it, but have heard/read that it was a full-on exposé of the sacred Xhosa circumcision rite.

How dare you!?

It was the June vac in 2001 and I was abruptly woken-up at 5am and thrown in the back of a van. My grandfather was there, watching on, as the van veered off to the most rural of Transkei. My heart pounded more than the British currency as reality dawned. The time had come! In keeping with tradition, it is customary that we normal xhosa boys had to wait until a chief’s/royalty’s son was going for initiation – we too would then join. This was my case too. All I can say is that it was the most intense, rejuvenating, best four weeks of my life, although I can’t say I’d do it again! We were thrown on a distant hill with no houses or roads in sight - our mud hut (ibhoma) was was quite big and quite cold when it came to sleeping on the floor, in a blanket only. And yes our ‘bhoma’ was mud-made - not these contemporary plastic structures you see in townships/bushes. On the first day we ............. (he, he, he, why, were you yearning for more?)

I can’t understand what people want to know about this particular practice. Do people want to parade it like they did Saartjie Baartman? Poke fun at it? Label it as barbaric and backward? Go on, knock yourselves out and please don’t try counter argue that people are dying there – I came back alive – it is only when it is done by an unqualified or inexperienced ‘ngcibi’ that death occurs. Besides how can you die when you have the equivalent of a nurse/ bodyguard/teacher in the form of ‘ukhanki’ or ‘ikhankatha’ right next to you - 24/7. People don’t know what goes on there. And those who die, were probably in the hands of people who didn’t either. What you see in the news and the mounting deaths are results of unqualified practitioners, unruly boys who want to become men without parental consent, or simply, ignorant parenting – parents have the ultimate say in where and who will be performing this rite on their child.

Back to the SABC - I thought most of the blacks there were Xhosa, clearly I was wrong and if they are, then they’re probably still boys or ‘amalulwane’ (fly-by-night-creatures) that chose the hospital route to their manhood. Clearly they would respect the sacredness of this practice if they knew what it entailed. Instead they choose to commodify and objectify what little sacredness our culture still holds most dear for its boys. The worst part is that the series Umthunzi Wentaba was produced by a woman - also black. Since when have women been part or known anything about ‘umaluko’!?.

Education and exposure to Western ideologies should not cloud or make one undermine their heritage, traditions and upbringing. If anything, it should make them appreciate it further...


comments

  1. Yazi as a young PROUD XHOSA WOMAN, i wholly agree with the notion that this series was in no way objective and aimed to portray this aspect of our culture as barbaric and backward. Centuries ago the british settlers tried to convince us that we were heathens and savages for carrying on with such a practise. One would think in this day and age with our 'tolerance'such programmes that go against fundamental principles(secrecy) of a particular tradition of a nation, would not be aired. The SABC has been a disgrace especially the Xhosa 'men' there who authorised and actually mandated this programme. I understand and accept that what goes on 'esuthwini' is not for me to know as a woman and i urge other people especially those of other cultures who are forcing the issue of disclosure, to respect that as well. At the end of the day this is a Xhosa tradition and although we appreciate your desire to try and understand where we are coming from some things you just have to accept without knowing. It's all about RESPECT.

    Posted by noxie — 10 Sep 2007, 19:44

  2. Look, I get the whole secrecy thing but come on! I really dont think they went overboard. I mean it is common knowledge that the guys go up there and get their thingies chopped off but that is all we saw anyways. The real stuff that I have heard about (which I wont mention)was not exposed. And yes people die up there - its also a known fact. It wasnt that bad.The show is make sure that the traditionalist improve the tradition because people die.For heaven's sake we have kids dying in schools just because a teacher hit them with a stick on the hand.We are a sickly nation.Its about time people take precautions. Most poeple have RTC (Resistance to Change)!! GET OVER IT AND GET IT RIGHT!!!!!

    Posted by Sindi — 10 Sep 2007, 19:44

  3. MH...BENDISAYILANDELA NGOMDLA OMKHULU KAKHULU NANGONGONA BELIMASIKIZI NJE.LIWUTSALILE KE NOKO UMDLA WAM KODWA INGATHI KWEZINYE INDAWO BELINESIBAXO.KUKHO KE NOKO ENDIKUPHAWULEYO NENDIKUFUNDILEYO NGALO UMDLALO.INGATHI ABAPHATHI BE SABC NGEXA ELIZAYO BANGANGA FOCUS ON THE XHOSA CULTURE ONLY BCOZ NGOKU ILIJONGELE PHANTSI ISIKO LETHU MAXHOSA(YEHLISE ISIDIMA SETHU)

    Posted by NOKUBULELA — 10 Sep 2007, 19:44

  4. BANTU BAKUTHI,ISIKO LAKWA-XHOSA ALENZIWA NJE.
    INGENZIWA KANJANI INTO YOKUBA ELI SIKO LIPHUME KWI-MEDIA?
    IZINTO EZENZIWA KWELI SIKO ZIYIMFIHLO.
    KUTHENI LIZOVELA ELUBALA NGOLUHLOBO NJE?
    KUKHO ABANTU ABANGALENZIYO,NABANGEKALENZI,NOBASE-TYHINI,BATHINI XA BEBONA IZINTO EZENZIWAYO EKWALUKENI?
    UMZI WAKWA-XHOSA AWUVUMELANI NENTO EYENZEKAYO.
    AMASIKO ETHU NIWAWISA PHANTSI MAWETHU.
    THAT UMTHUNZI WENTABA THING CLOSED PLEASE

    Posted by SANELE — 10 Sep 2007, 19:44

  5. Culture is not a static thing. If it was JZ would be calling for umkhonto wam and umshini wakhe would be in the hands of De la Rey.

    Posted by moving on — 10 Sep 2007, 19:44

  6. Hey Unathi, thanks for taking on the hardcore stuff! I'm wondering if those of us without access to the "sacred Xhosa circumcision rite" get into a mess by focussing so much on the circumcision. Maybe this is because what happens during the rest of the four weeks is such a mystery to us? I , for one, am curious to understand the power and signicance of this process (even if I don't expect you to say anything more ;)

    Posted by Curious — 10 Sep 2007, 19:44

  7. I think Umthunnzi Wentaba was a good idea.Children are dying up there.The secrecy needs to be revealed so that we find the solution to the problem.

    Posted by Foschun Sotsu — 10 Sep 2007, 19:44

  8. the secrecy? 'Umthunzi...' was not aimed at revealing any secrecy - it was a subjectively levelled critical expose of the negative only. Children are dying because of untrained or fly-by-night practioners and ignorant parents (that's no secret) - 'Umthunzi...' was not going to show that, instead it was going to reinforce notions of the barbarism and backward nature of a culture so respectable...

    They could have chosen a different angle, they just chose the sensationalist approach. the idea was good, trust me you didn't miss much by it's cancellation...

    Posted by unathi — 10 Sep 2007, 19:44

  9. i think there r parts that we as Xhosa's have to look at in corresponding with isiko eli lethu like unqualified ngcibi's, amakhankatha angakhathaliyo and AIDS to say the least nokuziba kwamakhwenkwe and other things nje ngamaXhosa sodwa

    Posted by phumlani — 10 Sep 2007, 19:44

  10. hey unathi my bro unyanile these other people should leave our culture as it is but i have to admit there r people that r making our culture look back.

    Posted by want it! — 10 Sep 2007, 19:44

  11. Yes!da drama is back makwedini.I neva noticed the producer is a woman.Good move sisi- we need to know these things.What's all the secrecy anyway?

    Posted by Girlie — 28 Sep 2007, 14:22

  12. Bafethu liyinene ndoda ngokunjalo nakum that was the best five weeks of my life. I did go there and I am alive ngoba izinto zenziwa ngendlela. There were no woman involved,(faka unyoko uzakufa) Kumanye amandonda ayithethwa lento Nabafazi ngoba indoda ayivuzelwa lwimi Bafondini

    Posted by Lutho — 23 Nov 2007, 01:07

  13. njengokuba becinga ukuba yeyona nto ibalulekileyo nje lento yalomaluko ababantwana akho nto iza nayo instead abatshintshi bafana nedada elingene emanzini laphuma linjalo basithoba kudala isidima solwaluko

    Posted by fundiswa — 28 Nov 2007, 14:59

  14. I was a pastor/missionary in Zwide township, Port Elizabeth for eight years--my congregation was primarily Xhosa, with a few coloureds. I am writing a novel, "When Elephants Fight", about my experiences there and wold appreciate any further information about Xhosa circumcism rituals, as I don't want to use terminology that is incorrect. I would want a Xhosa reading my book to be satisfied that my use of practices and terms is correct. As a white man, I was privledged that my Xhosa church members grew to trust me enough to share many otherwise secretive about their culture. I have read Noel Mostert's excellent book, "Frontiers". Any more insights would be greatly appreciated, or if you know any Xhosa people who live in Arizona that I could meet with. God bless, Alan A. Kern

    Posted by Alan Kern — 15 Feb 2008, 20:33

  15. Nto zakuthi akukho not ndizakuyengeza okanye ndiyithabathe, oko kukuthi niwagqibile. into endenza ndibebuhlungu kakhulu yinto yokuba Oodali Mpofu no thabo mbeki(?)bazibiza ngokuba bangamadoda kodwa bayakwazi ukuvumela into yokuba konyeliswe isiko lakuthi ngoluhlobo.

    Posted by Bayanda — 06 Mar 2008, 16:56

  16. linyala lamtoni eli nilenzayo,lokuveza isikolethu kanje.nalo ungugoqwana aka qondanga

    Posted by mxhosa — 24 Apr 2008, 15:46

  17. isidima saphela eSouth Africa mhla kwaphatha abantu abangenaso. It is outright embarassins to know that the same black people who say they want to protect isiko lethu, let it go the dogs like this. I am ashamed to be associated with people like ooDali no Thabo. Secondly, i do not care what people think of my culture, im proud to be indoda emnyama, unfortunately the same can not be said for the producer of that damn series, Dali and our own president.

    Posted by melumzi — 06 Jun 2008, 09:23

  18. i'm going for initiation next week, phansi ngomthuni wentaba phansi! PhANNSI!!!

    Posted by vuyo — 07 Jun 2008, 03:24

  19. heya u know I don't get u guys, yeah i am a 16 year old black girl, yeah u people should be ashamed of ur selves. u should practise what u preach. well I will be honest with u. firstly this mthunzi wentaba was casted my brother, well I have been quite for a long time, now it's time for me to share the piece of my mind, I was raise as umhlubi and I am proud, If u r umhlubi or umsuthu u can be ashamed of it but if u r a xhosa then that is crap, u have nothing to be ashamed of. u guys have exposed this long time ago, u don't know what u r talking about. yeah so u know, my brother Lucky or Lunga ccasted it and he has been to the mountain and I am sure he can not expose what is really done there but he was just passing the message, so its either u take it or leave it, so if u have a question just drop me an email I will give u his contact details. BLACKS DON'T WANNA FACE THE FACTS. thank u

    Posted by Pride — 15 Dec 2008, 17:26

  20. i think that bieng a man does noy mean that you have to do nd circumsize, its about hw well u respect people.

    Posted by erica — 03 Mar 2009, 11:28


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