The public slaughter of a goat at the National Arts Festival’s Iqula Xhosa village on Rhodes Campus this week raised an outcry by Grahamstown residents and the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty (SPCA).
Isibonda (chief) of the Iqula traditional village Misumzi Mzambiya Thomas, from Joza township, Grahamstown, told ECN the goat was slaughtered at noon on Saturday in front of three festinos.
He said sangoma V Ngqebeya Cingolendaba performed the iXhanti ritual for the ancestors which involves killing and eating the goat, burning the bones, and placing the horns on top of a pole.
Grahamstown SPCA spokesperson Harry Rama said: “We don’t have a problem with ritual slaughter, but it must be done in a humane way.”
“We are concerned that this slaughter was conducted in a way which made the animal suffer.” He said the goat’s throat was slit and the animal left to bleed to death for about 15 minutes.
Rama said the chief and his 10 traditional “villagers” could have enacted the ritual without actually killing the goat.
Several calls were made to a Port Elizabeth newsaper to complain.
One animal lover, who asked not to be named, said: “Slaughter of animals should not be part of the entertainment at a festival of arts and culture. One does not expect to see an animal slaughtered and left to bleed to death at an arts festival in Grahamstown.”
Chief Thomas said: “This whole issue is brought by white people who want to change our tradition and culture – even though they don’t know it.”
“This is happening all the time in the townships. Why are people complaining now? Is it just because it is happening at the festival?”
The SPCA had taken up the matter with organisers, International Library of African Music director Professor Andrew Tracey and chief Mzambiya Thomas.
Rama said the pair had promised to do no more slaughtering during the festival.
However, Professor Tracey said they were busy discussing the mattter and might slaughter another goat on Saturday, a day after festival ends.
Professor Tracey said: “The SPCA is on the wrong foot altogether. This is part of our African religion. How many other people in Africa slaughter animals?”
“I don’t see how the SPCA can stop a Xhosa tradition that has been done for thousands of years throughout Africa.” – ECN