the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa is home to the cosa people one of
Africa is home to the cosa people one of
Africa is home to the cosa people one of the nation’s largest tribes the Cosa
the nation’s largest tribes the Cosa
the nation’s largest tribes the Cosa live in the modern world but they
live in the modern world but they
live in the modern world but they maintain ancient customs including one
maintain ancient customs including one
maintain ancient customs including one by which boys become men it’s a rite of
by which boys become men it’s a rite of
by which boys become men it’s a rite of passage that starts with pain every
passage that starts with pain every
passage that starts with pain every summer boys are circumcised painted
summer boys are circumcised painted
summer boys are circumcised painted white and isolated in remote Hut’s where
white and isolated in remote Hut’s where
white and isolated in remote Hut’s where they spend weeks healing always a
they spend weeks healing always a
they spend weeks healing always a difficult and dangerous experience the
difficult and dangerous experience the
difficult and dangerous experience the tradition has become even more so here
tradition has become even more so here
tradition has become even more so here in the city initiates crowd into all
in the city initiates crowd into all
in the city initiates crowd into all available space hygiene is poor an
available space hygiene is poor an
available space hygiene is poor an infection is common some cosa boys die
infection is common some cosa boys die
infection is common some cosa boys die trying to become men
the Mahal a family is sending one of its
the Mahal a family is sending one of its own and the journey to Manville Tondo is
own and the journey to Manville Tondo is
own and the journey to Manville Tondo is enjoying his last day as a boy and what
enjoying his last day as a boy and what
enjoying his last day as a boy and what a part appeal and what do you like is
a part appeal and what do you like is
a part appeal and what do you like is sometimes not clean so weird too cause I
sometimes not clean so weird too cause I
sometimes not clean so weird too cause I hear lot of guys go to hospital the
hear lot of guys go to hospital the
hear lot of guys go to hospital the whole poster community will participate
whole poster community will participate
whole poster community will participate in this rite of passage the men load up
in this rite of passage the men load up
in this rite of passage the men load up materials to build tanto a hut in the
materials to build tanto a hut in the
materials to build tanto a hut in the bush
his family chose an isolated site at the
his family chose an isolated site at the outskirts of town distracted by the Hut
outskirts of town distracted by the Hut
outskirts of town distracted by the Hut constructions Hondo doesn’t notice that
constructions Hondo doesn’t notice that
constructions Hondo doesn’t notice that the surgeon has arrived
the surgeon has arrived
the surgeon has arrived traditional surgeons have no formal
traditional surgeons have no formal
traditional surgeons have no formal training but some have more skill than
training but some have more skill than
training but some have more skill than others there will be no ceremony before
others there will be no ceremony before
others there will be no ceremony before the circumcision it comes with the speed
the circumcision it comes with the speed
the circumcision it comes with the speed of an ambulance
without warning the surgeon steps
without warning the surgeon steps forward to remove tantos foreskin
ignoring the pain Tondo shouts out know
ignoring the pain Tondo shouts out know it cosa tradition holds that foreskins
it cosa tradition holds that foreskins
it cosa tradition holds that foreskins must be buried to keep sorcerers from
must be buried to keep sorcerers from
must be buried to keep sorcerers from using them in witchcraft the surgeon is
using them in witchcraft the surgeon is
using them in witchcraft the surgeon is also careful to clean the blade to
also careful to clean the blade to
also careful to clean the blade to reduce the risk of transmitting diseases
reduce the risk of transmitting diseases
reduce the risk of transmitting diseases such as AIDS I’m so dizzy
such as AIDS I’m so dizzy
such as AIDS I’m so dizzy we’ve got pump when the hut is red he’ll
we’ve got pump when the hut is red he’ll
we’ve got pump when the hut is red he’ll be left here alone for weeks now the
be left here alone for weeks now the
be left here alone for weeks now the real danger Honda’s initiation begins in
real danger Honda’s initiation begins in
real danger Honda’s initiation begins in the coming weeks he faces the risk of
the coming weeks he faces the risk of
the coming weeks he faces the risk of infection even gangrene and until he’s
infection even gangrene and until he’s
infection even gangrene and until he’s healed he can eat no fresh food and
healed he can eat no fresh food and
healed he can eat no fresh food and drink no water last a Tolosa LeMans the
drink no water last a Tolosa LeMans the
drink no water last a Tolosa LeMans the initiates must not drink water because
initiates must not drink water because
initiates must not drink water because the water comes out of the penis and
the water comes out of the penis and
the water comes out of the penis and makes the wound wet so it doesn’t heal
makes the wound wet so it doesn’t heal
makes the wound wet so it doesn’t heal properly done it should infection strike
properly done it should infection strike
properly done it should infection strike he’ll have to choose between getting
he’ll have to choose between getting
he’ll have to choose between getting care and remaining true to his tribe if
care and remaining true to his tribe if
care and remaining true to his tribe if he seeks medical attention the Cosa will
he seeks medical attention the Cosa will
he seeks medical attention the Cosa will never accept him
never accept him
never accept him the white clay paint marks Tondo as an
the white clay paint marks Tondo as an
the white clay paint marks Tondo as an initiate he’ll wear it throughout his
initiate he’ll wear it throughout his
initiate he’ll wear it throughout his transition but right now his mind is on
transition but right now his mind is on
transition but right now his mind is on water which he is forbidden to drink
water which he is forbidden to drink
water which he is forbidden to drink sometimes initiates face dehydration so
sometimes initiates face dehydration so
sometimes initiates face dehydration so severe it can sicken or even kill Tondo
severe it can sicken or even kill Tondo
severe it can sicken or even kill Tondo is allowed to sustain himself with only
is allowed to sustain himself with only
is allowed to sustain himself with only a liquid rain from core after a week’s
a liquid rain from core after a week’s
a liquid rain from core after a week’s Tondo is well enough to drink water and
Tondo is well enough to drink water and
Tondo is well enough to drink water and he’s allowed to visit with other
he’s allowed to visit with other
he’s allowed to visit with other initiatives whose huts are nearby their
initiatives whose huts are nearby their
initiatives whose huts are nearby their experiences here in the bush will bind
experiences here in the bush will bind
experiences here in the bush will bind them together in the Cosa community one
them together in the Cosa community one
them together in the Cosa community one month after Tondo left the men make one
month after Tondo left the men make one
month after Tondo left the men make one last trip to his Hut gone is the white
last trip to his Hut gone is the white
last trip to his Hut gone is the white clay paint of a boy now tondo undergoes
clay paint of a boy now tondo undergoes
clay paint of a boy now tondo undergoes a centuries-old custom a coating of fat
a centuries-old custom a coating of fat
a centuries-old custom a coating of fat but instead of the animal fat his
but instead of the animal fat his
but instead of the animal fat his ancestors he’s anointed with margarine
ancestors he’s anointed with margarine
ancestors he’s anointed with margarine from the supermarket the entire
from the supermarket the entire
from the supermarket the entire community gathers to celebrate and
community gathers to celebrate and
community gathers to celebrate and return everyone escorts him home
return everyone escorts him home
return everyone escorts him home neighbors join the throng his
neighbors join the throng his
neighbors join the throng his achievement is their children by
achievement is their children by
achievement is their children by respecting tradition and prevailing over
respecting tradition and prevailing over
respecting tradition and prevailing over hardship Tondo has proven himself a man
hardship Tondo has proven himself a man
hardship Tondo has proven himself a man red clay marks his new status he is now
red clay marks his new status he is now
red clay marks his new status he is now eligible for marriage and other rights
eligible for marriage and other rights
eligible for marriage and other rights of adulthood he has earned his place in
of adulthood he has earned his place in
of adulthood he has earned his place in the cosa nation
”
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