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EveryParampara

Ulwaluko

The Xhosa initiation of young men into adulthood.

A pattern drawn for this page, not a picture of Ulwaluko.

Also: xhosa initiation

Ulwaluko is the rite of passage by which Xhosa young men become adults. Over several weeks in a lodge in the veld, the initiates, called abakhwetha, are taught by elders about manhood, responsibility and the history of the community, and undergo circumcision. They wear white clay and a blanket, and live apart. At the end, the lodge is burned and the young men return to a feast as men, with new clothes and names. The practice is treasured by those who keep it. Health authorities, doctors and elders work together every year to make it safer and to protect the initiates.

Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

See also

LobolaImbeleko

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