From being thin and unhappy, Lindelwa Monkamane (30) of NU 3 in Mdantsane is a changed person – and she attributes her newfound happiness to tradition.
From being thin and unhappy, Lindelwa Monkamane (30) of NU 3 in Mdantsane is a changed person – and she attributes her newfound happiness to tradition.
Many Xhosa rituals have been neglected in the melee of modern culture. A good example is iMbeleko, a ceremony followed by successive generations, who believed it to be vital for a person’s wellbeing. Xhosa ancestors believed that if a person did not undergo iMbeleko, they would experience many difficulties, including being cursed with bad luck, getting sick, or even dying.
That's exactly what Monkamane believes was wrong with her life – until she eventually underwent the ritual at the age of 26. “It made a lot of difference in my life, because ever since I can remember I’ve been very skinny and extremely dark in complexion. I always believed that was how I was supposed to be, until my mother had the ritual performed on me. I am now light in complexion and have gained weight tremendously and I am very happy,” she said.
According to Xhosa tradition, a child should undergo iMbeleko – which involves slaughtering a goat by way of introducing the child to the family and the ancestors – soon after they are born. To show that a child has had the iMbeleko ceremony, a cow’s hide is cut and sewn together to make a neck piece that the child wears.
According to tradition, it must never be removed, because it will fall off on its own when the time is right. Mr S Pawuli, an advisor at the traditional house of Amandlambe, said, “iMbeleko is a very important ritual for any African child’s wellbeing, and in order for the child to know his or her roots”.
He suggested there was a need for seminars to remind African people of traditions such as iMbeleko, iNtonjane (the coming-of-age ceremony for young women) and uMgquphuzo (a ceremony held for a married woman at her original home). – WSU-SNA
