{"id":59927,"date":"2022-09-02T06:02:23","date_gmt":"2022-09-02T04:02:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/paarlpost\/initiation-is-culturally-concerning-20220831-2\/"},"modified":"2025-03-19T23:52:47","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T21:52:47","slug":"initiation-is-culturally-concerning-20220831-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/paarlpost\/initiation-is-culturally-concerning-20220831-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Initiation is culturally concerning"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Although traditional initiations are institutions to be celebrated and protected as a cultural heritage, they are often associated with controversy, harm and, in extreme cases, death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are many things to be considered if South Africans wish to regard initiations as \u201cculturally sound\u201d or respected in general.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-initiations-cause-shocking-headlines\">Initiations cause shocking headlines<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>\n <span>Netwerk24<\/span> reported on the deaths of 11 boys during this year\u2019s winter initiations in the Eastern Cape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSix deaths were recorded in the Mhlontlo Municipality, followed by two in the King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality, two in Ingquza Hill Municipality and one in Mdantsane in the Buffalo City Metro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAnother 119 boys were hospitalised for initiation-related complications.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-local-initiations\">Local initiations<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>In the last year alone there was at least one initiation-related ceremony that stirred negative reactions among Paarlites in the Vrykyk area in December.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The traditional festivities and circumcision ceremony of a young Xhosa man were tainted by complaints from affected residents in Treurnicht Street, as previously reported by <i>Paarl Post<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fellow neighbours of the former Paarl-police station commander, Major General Mzwandile Tiyo, accused him of not requesting sufficient permission to hold a three-day ceremonial initiation for his son in the neighbourhood, which he falsely claimed to have done in a notice letter that was distributed in the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This was followed by rumours that there had been plans to slaughter a cow on Tiyo\u2019s residential property. Additionally, the father informed his neighbours of planned marches to be held in the streets of Paarl. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, neither the Drakenstein Municipality nor Paarl police had been approached for necessary permission or permits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Various complaints were also received last year from residents of Bodal Road, who expressed their concern about an initiation camp that had been set up on a vacant piece of land near this road. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the summer initiation season many informal structures had been set up there and the many cars parked illegally were posing a danger to road users. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Concerns were also expressed about hordes of people present there without any ablution facilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The land in question belongs to the Drakenstein Municipality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-government-promotes-safe-initiations\">Government promotes safe initiations<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Paarl Post<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Executive Director of Community Services Gerald Esau said there are two traditional initiation seasons in a given year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe first season takes place from June to August, while the other starts in November through to January,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Esau said DM recognises initiation camps that are hosted on municipal terrain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe municipality held meetings with the Boland Mbekweni Initiation Commission, where various elements were discussed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWith help and management from Provincial Government, we all work together to ensure there is sufficient water supply and medical emergency resources on these camp terrains to promote safe ceremonies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to its website the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) recognises the importance of cultural traditional practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAs a cultural rite of passage, male initiation illustrates the transition from boyhood to manhood,\u201d it reads. \u201cThere are two seasons in the Western Cape for this noble tradition. Each year the winter initiation takes place from May to July and the summer season is from November to January.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The department\u2019s support is guided by the Initiation Framework and Protocol, which encourages:<span>.<\/span> Community participation on issues pertaining to initiation<span>.<\/span> Greater community awareness<span>.<\/span> Increased awareness of health concerns<span>.<\/span> Cooperation with health institutions<span>.<\/span> The establishment of practitioner structures.<span>.<\/span> Standardisation of the practice<span>.<\/span> Skilled traditional practitioners and carers<span>.<\/span> Bringing the practice in line with modern trends<span>.<\/span> Seasonal job creation opportunities in line with the Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP)<span>.<\/span> Secure and serviced initiation sites<span>.<\/span> Mainstreaming of the practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cTogether, we\u2019re creating a safe and enabling environment for the effective rite of pas\u00adsage for young men during the customary initiation sea\u00adson,\u201d the DCAS website says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information on ceremonial parameters, or when organising initiation celebrations, Esau invites people to contact Redeemer Njovu on 021 807 4556 or mail Redeemer.Njovu@drakenstein.gov.za.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Although traditional initiations are institutions to be celebrated and protected as a cultural heritage, they are often associated with controversy, harm and, in extreme cases, 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This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.8 (Yoast SEO v27.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Initiation is culturally concerning | Paarl Post<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/paarlpost\/initiation-is-culturally-concerning-20220831-2\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Initiation is culturally concerning\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Although traditional initiations are institutions to be celebrated and protected as a cultural heritage, they are often associated with controversy, harm and, in extreme cases, death.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/paarlpost\/initiation-is-culturally-concerning-20220831-2\/\" 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