Abstract
The Xhosa ritual of ukoluka, circumcision, is probably the oldest and the most threatened traditional practice in AmaXhosa life. Books, stage plays, and radio plays have chronicled this age-old tradition, and its demise would not only be dire to AmaXhosa boys who aspire to be men, but also to the very identity of the Xhosa nation. From time immemorial mountains and forests have been protected to ensure the practice continues safely and unhindered. The encroachment of human settlement into the forests and mountains which were preserved for ukoluka, then, threatens not only the birthright of a nation but also nature. This paper deploys multiculturalism to explore the challenges different cultural groups’ needs often clash and thereby undermine nature. In this regard, the paper argues that population explosion and internal migration often necessitates new human settlements which infringe on communal lands where ukoluka is still regarded as sacred. 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 that sharpen their understanding of the wider world. Secondly, it examines how rivers, which are central in the 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 of the forests and the mountains. Finally, I suggest practical ways of harmonizing traditional practices, nature and prevailing social needs.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Community Diversity and Governance
KEYWORDS
Ukoluka, Forests, Mountains, Housing development; AmaXhosa
