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
they spend weeks healing
they spend weeks healing always a difficult and dangerous
always a difficult and dangerous
always a difficult and dangerous experience the tradition has become even
experience the tradition has become even
experience the tradition has become even more so here in the city initiates crowd
more so here in the city initiates crowd
more so here in the city initiates crowd into all available space hygiene is poor
into all available space hygiene is poor
into all available space hygiene is poor an infection is common some cosa boys
an infection is common some cosa boys
an infection is common some cosa boys died trying to become men
the Mahal a family is sending one of its
the Mahal a family is sending one of its own the journey to manhood Tondo is
own the journey to manhood Tondo is
own the journey to manhood 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 upon appeal and what do you like is
a upon appeal and what do you like is
a upon appeal and what do you like is something he’s not communal so weird
something he’s not communal so weird
something he’s not communal so weird because I hear lot of guys go to
because I hear lot of guys go to
because I hear lot of guys go to hospital the whole poster community will
hospital the whole poster community will
hospital the whole poster community will participate in this rite of passage the
participate in this rite of passage the
participate in this rite of passage the men load up materials to build tanto a
men load up materials to build tanto a
men load up materials to build tanto a hut in the bush his family chose an
hut in the bush his family chose an
hut in the bush his family chose an isolated site at the outskirts of town
isolated site at the outskirts of town
isolated site at the outskirts of town distracted by the Hut construction Kondo
distracted by the Hut construction Kondo
distracted by the Hut construction Kondo doesn’t notice that the surgeon has
doesn’t notice that the surgeon has
doesn’t notice that the surgeon has arrived
arrived
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 Hondo’s foreskin
ignoring the pain Tondo shouts out know
ignoring the pain Tondo shouts out know what cosa tradition holds that foreskins
what cosa tradition holds that foreskins
what 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
Ribbit’s pump when the hut is read he’ll
Ribbit’s pump when the hut is read 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 too low Salam on
drink no water last a too low Salam on
drink no water last a too low Salam on the initiates must not drink water
the initiates must not drink water
the initiates must not drink water because the water comes out of the penis
because the water comes out of the penis
because the water comes out of the penis and makes the wound wet so it doesn’t
and makes the wound wet so it doesn’t
and makes the wound wet so it doesn’t heal properly should infection strike
heal properly should infection strike
heal properly 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 as a man the white clay
never accept him as a man the white clay
never accept him as a man the white clay paint marks Tondo as an initiate he’ll
paint marks Tondo as an initiate he’ll
paint marks Tondo as an initiate he’ll wear it throughout his transition but
wear it throughout his transition but
wear it throughout his transition but right now his mind is on water which he
right now his mind is on water which he
right now his mind is on water which he is forbidden to drink sometimes
is forbidden to drink sometimes
is forbidden to drink sometimes initiates face dehydration so severe it
initiates face dehydration so severe it
initiates face dehydration so severe it can sicken or even kill Tondo is allowed
can sicken or even kill Tondo is allowed
can sicken or even kill Tondo is allowed to sustain himself with only a liquid
to sustain himself with only a liquid
to sustain himself with only a liquid lean from
after a week’s Tondo is well enough to
after a week’s Tondo is well enough to drink water and he’s allowed to visit
drink water and he’s allowed to visit
drink water and he’s allowed to visit with other initiates whose huts are
with other initiates whose huts are
with other initiates whose huts are nearby their experiences here in the
nearby their experiences here in the
nearby their experiences here in the bush will bind them together in the Cosa
bush will bind them together in the Cosa
bush will bind them together in the Cosa community
community
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
one last trip to his Hut gone is the
one last trip to his Hut gone is the white clay pain of a boy now tanto
white clay pain of a boy now tanto
white clay pain of a boy now tanto undergoes a centuries-old custom a
undergoes a centuries-old custom a
undergoes a centuries-old custom a coating of fat but instead of the animal
coating of fat but instead of the animal
coating of fat but instead of the animal fat his ancestors he’s anointed with
fat his ancestors he’s anointed with
fat his ancestors he’s anointed with margarine from the supermarket the
entire community gathers to celebrate
entire community gathers to celebrate and return everyone escorts him home
and return everyone escorts him home
and return everyone escorts him home neighbors join the throng his
neighbors join the throng his
neighbors join the throng his achievement is there by respecting
achievement is there by respecting
achievement is there by respecting tradition and prevailing over hardship
tradition and prevailing over hardship
tradition and prevailing over hardship Tondo has proven himself a man red clay
Tondo has proven himself a man red clay
Tondo has proven himself a man red clay marks his new status he is now eligible
marks his new status he is now eligible
marks his new status he is now eligible for marriage and other rights of
for marriage and other rights of
for marriage and other rights of adulthood he has earned his place in the
adulthood he has earned his place in the
adulthood he has earned his place in the cosa nation
”
Be First to Comment