Abstract
The Xhosa ritual of ukoluka, circumcision, is probably the oldest and the most endangered practice in AmaXhosa life. Books, stage plays, and radio plays have chronicled this age-old tradition and the repercussions of not performing it are not only dire to young men, but to the very identity of Xhosa people. So, the encroachment of housing development into the forests and mountains which were preserved for ukoluka threaten not only the birthright of a nation but also nature. Firstly, this paper examines the radio play, Yiyekeni Inkwenkwe Izonwabele, to highlight the intertwined relationship between ukoluka as a Xhosa identity and the preservation of forests and mountains – the fauna and flora the initiates survive on and sharpen their understanding of the wider world. Secondly, it examines how rivers, which are central in initiates personal development, are depleted by the increased population on the fringes of the forests and mountains. Thirdly, I explore how land deprivation leads to the destruction the forests and the mountains. Finally, I suggest practical ways the preservation of forests and mountains can create a harmonious relationship between nature and human development through the recalibration of ukoluka ritual.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Ukoluka, Forests, Mountains, Housing development, AmaXhosa
