Latest articles on Initiation Rituals

Battle for rights in traditional rites

Article Staff Reporter - 24 Nov 2017

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

Ratty rituals turn students off rugby

Article Staff Reporter - 27 Oct 2017

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

Exposing a culture’s wounds

Article Staff Reporter - 21 Jul 2017

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

Inxeba: A moment of confrontation

Article Niza Jay - 18 Jul 2017

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

Actor Nakhane Touré fends off hate speech over controversial new film

Article Carl Collison - 28 Feb 2017

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

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

Article Carl Collison - 10 Jan 2017

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

Rip-off artists are the real threat to koma

Analysis Staff Reporter - 17 Jul 2015

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

Man severely beaten for speaking out about his penis amputation

Article Mia Malan & Bhekisisa Team - 25 Mar 2014

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".

The boys who lost their manhood

Article Mia Malan - 16 Aug 2013

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

Circumcision: No harm in asking the question

Analysis Staff Reporter - 18 Jun 2013

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

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

Article Mia Malan - 18 Jun 2013

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

Parliament to probe initiation deaths

Article Sapa - 23 May 2013

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

Suffer the sense of belonging

Article Staff Reporter - 24 May 2012

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.

Cricket bat beatings at NWU

Article Staff Reporter - 13 Feb 2009

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

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