The Transkei tribe is a really old tribe of Southern Africa that has many traditions. One such tradition is the Khweta circumcision that initiates boys into manhood.
This tradition is very old and all the boys must go through the ceremony before he can be accepted as a full-fledged man. If he does not, no responsible girl will want to accept his hand in marriage.
During the initiation ceremony, boys of different ages dwell in a lodge called a circumcision lodge. What is known for sure, is the strange circumcision forces the young men to have their bodies whitened with sandstone.
They also wear white sheepskin as a coat or blanket. This is done to keep away the evil spirits.
They stay in seclusion during the cold winter months under the wing and orders of a housemaster. During the time, they go through tough tes
ts to assess their strength and
endurance.
These traditional tests were really severe that sometimes resulted in the death of some of them.
Although in recent times, the tests are not as tasking as it used to be. During the ceremony, the young men adorn white sheepskin which they say wards off evil spirit. They paint their bodies with sandstone.
Then they display in special dances while moving like bulls snorting and moving their heads in the air. They dance to neighboring h
uts while remaining masked and fema
les keep well away.
The circumcision proper happens in the springtime and all the items used including the hut in which they dwelt is burnt.
They are ceremonially flogged along the way as they are taken to the river for a cleansing bath.
On the way, they must move forward without looking backward. There in the river, the white paint is washed off and then red clay is painted on the body which they must wear for three months before it can be washed off and are then regarded as men, and then they are free to get married.
Returning home, the young men are smeared with red clay, which is not removed for three months. When this is washed off, they are f
inally regarded as adults and can marry
(with the customary delay of four years).
These men have a strong bond between them for the rest of their lives. They now carry with them the knowledge of the traditio
ns and history of their people. They are me
n and ready to face the world of adults.
