Of the Bush and Manhood
Mark here: A local custom in this area is for the Xhosa men to enter the bush at the age of eighteen in order to find their manhood. This is a three week trial that begins with a week of hydration depletion, continues with a circumcision and ends with a beating at the hands of the men in the village to welcome the young men into the fold.
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Now this may sound like a strange thing to those of us in the west, but it is a time honored tradition here in the Queenstown area and the local villages. One of Elliot Masoka’s young foster children is about to undertake this experience and he is both excited and a bit frightened by the task at hand. “I must do it, regardless of what I feel,” says the young man with a wide smile upon his face. It is an honor to make it through the experience, but there is also a dangerous side to this practice that has led local clinics to develop a monitoring system for the young men that undertake the journey.
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Each young man must appear before the clinic and sign waiver forms stating that they understand the dangers of the circumcision and will allow themselves to be worked on by doctors if their health is in question. The circumcision is often performed with a rusty knife that has been used on countless other young men about to enter the bush in search of their manhood and can cause bleeding and infection leading to death. In the past it was estimated that one of every five young men going through this process would die from such infections and the clinics have stepped forward in an attempt to quell this issue from growing. This is yet again an example of old traditions being challenged by western science and elders in the villages wondering what they should do. “It is difficult to change the views of the older people in the village,” according to health care supervisor Zuko, “but it can be done through an understanding of the tradition and an explanation that we are only trying to keep the young men healthy.”
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For those of you wondering how this is can even be an issue it must be taken into account that these village inhabitants have lived this way for generations in a closed society barely touched by outside influences until recently. Changing the past is difficult, but with people willing to make the difference such as Elliot Masoka, Dr.Lee and Zuko there is little doubt that this metamorphosis will be successful.
Mark here: A local custom in this area is for the Xhosa men to enter the bush at the age of eighteen in order to find their manhood. This is a three week trial that begins with a week of hydration depletion, continues with a circumcision and ends with a beating at the hands of the men in the village to welcome the young men into the fold.
.
Now this may sound like a strange thing to those of us in the west, but it is a time honored tradition here in the Queenstown area and the local villages. One of Elliot Masoka’s young foster children is about to undertake this experience and he is both excited and a bit frightened by the task at hand. “I must do it, regardless of what I feel,” says the young man with a wide smile upon his face. It is an honor to make it through the experience, but there is also a dangerous side to this practice that has led local clinics to develop a monitoring system for the young men that undertake the journey.
.
Each young man must appear before the clinic and sign waiver forms stating that they understand the dangers of the circumcision and will allow themselves to be worked on by doctors if their health is in question. The circumcision is often performed with a rusty knife that has been used on countless other young men about to enter the bush in search of their manhood and can cause bleeding and infection leading to death. In the past it was estimated that one of every five young men going through this process would die from such infections and the clinics have stepped forward in an attempt to quell this issue from growing. This is yet again an example of old traditions being challenged by western science and elders in the villages wondering what they should do. “It is difficult to change the views of the older people in the village,” according to health care supervisor Zuko, “but it can be done through an understanding of the tradition and an explanation that we are only trying to keep the young men healthy.”
.
For those of you wondering how this is can even be an issue it must be taken into account that these village inhabitants have lived this way for generations in a closed society barely touched by outside influences until recently. Changing the past is difficult, but with people willing to make the difference such as Elliot Masoka, Dr.Lee and Zuko there is little doubt that this metamorphosis will be successful.
.
Pictured below is a woman using the white clay "make-up" commonly used by young men during their time in the bush. This serves as sun screen and also identifies the men as initiates.
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