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Initiation Rituals

Battle for rights in traditional rites
Article
/ 24 November 2017

Battle for rights in traditional rites

Nonconforming people are protected by the Constitution in a complex tug-of-war

By Staff Reporter
Ratty rituals turn students off rugby
Article
/ 27 October 2017

Ratty rituals turn students off rugby

British university players are being deterred by disgusting initiation pranks like drinking vomit

By Staff Reporter
Exposing a culture’s wounds
Article
/ 21 July 2017

Exposing a culture’s wounds

It’s been fêted around the world, but Inxeba’s smashed stereotypes will cause a stir locally

By Milisuthando Bongela
​Inxeba: A moment of confrontation
Article
/ 18 July 2017

​Inxeba: A moment of confrontation

The film questions the idea of manhood in Xhosa culture through a relationship between three men.

By Niza Jay
​Actor Nakhane Touré fends off hate speech over controversial new film
Article
/ 28 February 2017

​Actor Nakhane Touré fends off hate speech over controversial new film

‘The Wound’ tackles the unspoken issue of sexuality and tradition in a film about Xhosa initiates.

By Carl Collison
​Torment for trans women ‘sent to the mountain’ to learn to be men
Article
/ 10 January 2017

​Torment for trans women ‘sent to the mountain’ to learn to be men

It denies a transgender person her identity but refusing to go through a cultural rite of passage further alienates her.

By Carl Collison
Rip-off artists are the real threat to koma
Analysis
/ 17 July 2015

Rip-off artists are the real threat to koma

This sacred community ritual has been subverted and sullied by predatory and deadly opportunists.

By Staff Reporter
Man severely beaten for speaking out about his penis amputation
Article
/ 25 March 2014

Man severely beaten for speaking out about his penis amputation

Three people have been arrested after a Pondoland initiate who lost his penis and spoke out about it in public was beaten for "shaming the custom".

By Mia Malan and Bhekisisa Team
The boys who lost their manhood
Article
/ 16 August 2013

The boys who lost their manhood

During this initiation season, we look back at what happened in 2013 when bungled initiations cost boys their penises.

By Mia Malan
Circumcision: No harm in asking the question
Analysis
/ 18 June 2013

Circumcision: No harm in asking the question

We cannot willingly choose not to talk about cultural practices to the detriment of unknown numbers of boys, writes Faranaaz Parker.

By Faranaaz Parker
PrePex will save many lives in SA – with traditional leaders’ help
Article
/ 18 June 2013

PrePex will save many lives in SA – with traditional leaders’ help

The state’s hopes for the nonsurgical circumcision device rest on its acceptance in initiation rituals.

By Mia Malan
Parliament to probe initiation deaths
Article
/ 23 May 2013

Parliament to probe initiation deaths

Parliament will probably debate the deaths of initiates at the end of the month, says the ANC chief whip’s office.

By Sapa
Suffer the sense of belonging
Article
/ 24 May 2012

Suffer the sense of belonging

Recent allegations about the rape initiation of a pupil at a rugby camp raises the question of why such practices exist in our supposedly modern era.

By Andrew Verrijdt
No image available
Article
/ 13 February 2009

Cricket bat beatings at NWU

From savage initiation rights to claims of race bias, the Potch campus is out of date and under review, writes Primarashni Gower.

By Staff Reporter

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