Xhosa Manhood Is Not about Cutting the Foreskin Only

By Mkhuseli Mini

Xhosa manhood is not about cutting the foreskin only, but is rather regarded as a collection of qualities that one should possess in order to qualify as a man – like responsibility, fear of God, good morals, respect for your ancestors, respect for your elders and young-ones, sober habits, a sense of humanity, integrity, patriotism, good manners, diligence, vigilance, resisting temptation, bravery (but a coward to abomination and disgrace), being a law-abiding citizen, and many more.

“God loves man, to such an extent that He made a covenant with man.”
The reference is the scripture in Genesis 17:09-14.

U-Thixo uyamthanda umntu oyindoda, kanga ngokuba wada wenza umnqophiso ophakathi Kwakhe (u-Thixo) kunye nendoda.
Intsusa zizibhalo ezi ngcwele kwi Genesis 17:09-14.

This book has an age restriction of eighteen (18) years as it contains language and graphic pictures that may be offensive to sensitive readers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I am a sexagenerian, born in a village called Annshaw in the district of Middledrift in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Now a resident of e Qonce formerly known as Kimg Williams Town in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality in the Eastern Cape in South Africa for more than three decades now. I am married to my wife Hlubie with three sons and all of them are the products of Dale College Boys High School here in eQonce. I am a retired civil servent of the Eastern Cape Government, Provincial Treasury in Bhisho since year 2017. By nature I am a traditionalist who loves his culture, customs and traditions. Through my experience, knowledge and love of this custom now I feel offende and humiliated by what is happening nowadays on this noble custom. Today this custom is in the news for all the bad reasons, hence I wrote this book.

Thank you for reading this book.

WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK

This topic has been discussed widely early in the book under the heading PREFACE, however if you still feel that there is something missing please do not hesitate to contact me.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mkhuseli Mini
• Release date: Jun 8, 2022
• ISBN: 9780463590980

Book preview

Xhosa_Manhood_-_COVER.jpg

Copyright © 2021 Mkhuseli Mini

First edition 2021

Published by Mkhuseli Mini Publishing at Smashwords

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without permission from the copyright holder.

The Author has made every effort to trace and acknowledge sources/resources/individuals. In the event that any images/information have been incorrectly attributed or credited, the Author will be pleased to rectify these omissions at the earliest opportunity.

Published by Mkhuseli Mini using Reach Publishers’ services,

P O Box 1384, Wandsbeck, South Africa, 3631

Edited by Francois Rabe for Reach Publishers

Cover designed by Reach Publishers

Website: www.reachpublishers.org

E-mail: [e-mail]

Mkhuseli Mini

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This book has an age restriction of eighteen (18) years as it contains language and

graphic pictures that may be offensive to sensitive readers.

Dedication

A special dedication must be extended to the following individuals for their contribution in making this book a success:

- Credit must also be given to Tony Dold and Michelle Cocks. Through their inspirational book Voices from the Forest, I was able to augment my knowledge when writing this book. Since their book is so endowed with the knowledge of Xhosa culture, I would encourage every Xhosa person to read this book as it is such an indispensable reference to our culture, customs and traditions.

- I do not want to omit mentioning my great friend Mr. Bhayi ka-Khetshe for his touching story on his personal experience of traditional Xhosa male circumcision.

- And what about the the evergreen perennial who helped me with the editing and proof-reading of the book, and the other advices they gave me on this matter, the lady-teachers Nosithembele Nyoka-Ngumbela and Mrs. Nolizwe Mbande.

- My wife, Nomahlubi Mini for her encouragement and advice.

- My officemates Nobubele, Thandi and Alicia, and many others not mentioned. Guys, without your inspiration, this book would not have been written at all.

SO, I THANK YOU ALL…

Special Thanks:

The Eastern Cape Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture for their financial assistance. Without its support, this book would never be published. I wish to say to them, Mazi enethole, ukwanda kwaliwa ngumthakathi. Ningadinwa nangamso.

XHOSA MANHOOD IS NOT ABOUT CUTTING THE FORESKIN ONLY, but is rather regarded as a collection of qualities that one should possess in order to qualify as a man – like responsibility, fear of God, good morals, respect for your ancestors, respect for your elders and young-ones, sober habits, a sense of humanity, integrity, patriotism, good manners, diligence, vigilance, to resist temptations, bravery (but a coward to abomination and disgrace), being a law-abiding citizen, and many more. This is to the extent that for one who is circumcised but who do not possess these qualities, his manhood is useless, meaningless and of no value to society.

KWA-XHOSA UBUDODA AYIKOKUSIKWA IJWABU NJE KUPHELA, Koko singathi yingqokelela yempawu ezithile nezintle ke phofu ekufuneka ubani lowo uthi uyindoda abe unazo, ezizezi; ukuba noxanduva, lokoyika u-Thixo, intlonipho kwizinyanya, intlonipho kwabadala nabancinci, imbeko, ubuntu, intembeko, ukukhuthala, ubuthandazwe, ukukhalipha kodwa ube ligwala kwinyala ne hlazo, isimilo esihle, ungangeni ekuhendweni, ube no hayi etywaleni nakwi ziyobisi, nezinye izinto. Zingekho ke ezimpawu obobudoda bulilize.

God loves man, to such an extent that He made a covenant with man. The reference is the scripture in Genesis 17:09-14.

U-Thixo uyamthanda umntu oyindoda, kanga ngokuba wada wenza umnqophiso ophakathi Kwakhe (u-Thixo) kunye nendoda.

Intsusa zizibhalo ezi ngcwele kwi Genesis 17:09-14.

(This photo is the property of Mr. Tony Dold).

Below are some of the tools that are used by Ingcibi when circumcising boys in the bush. The knife is called Umdlanga (assegai).

Generally, Xhosa women are so valuable when it comes to Xhosa male traditional circumcision. Hence Xhosa customs cannot happen without the engagement of women.

Abakhwetha or Xhosa initiates are washing in river

water to remove the white clay on their bodies.

(This photo is the property of Mr. Tony Dold)

Preface

I have written this book as somewhat of a wake-up call to the Xhosa nation regarding the bad and ugly things that are happening in our custom of traditional male circumcision. In modern times, the custom of male circumcision is in the news for all the wrong reasons, and rightly so. This is because our custom is not respected by its rightful owners, the Xhosa people, especially by our boys and young men.

In the first instance this book is an effort to influence the Xhosa people to look at themselves introspectively – both psychologically (mentally) and spiritually (the soul) – regarding the manner in which this custom is being conducted today. Secondly, this book wants to remind the Xhosa nation of how this noble custom was practised in the days of our forefathers, and to ask them to revert to the original ways of performing this custom.

As a result of this, a need has risen for the Xhosa nation to call on its youth – especially the boys and young men – and sensitise them about the importance, meaning and the purpose of Xhosa male circumcision and manhood. For that reason, our youth need to know that manhood is not only about cutting the foreskin, but that it involves compliance with the norms and standards of the Xhosa nation.

In the true sense of the word, manhood is a package or a collection of qualities that one should possess in order to qualify as a real man. Some of these qualities include fear of God, patriotism, diligence, responsibility, faithfulness and sober habits, to name just a few. To a greater or a lesser extent, all these qualities are absent in the youth of today. For this reason, ‘manhood’ is an unknown phenomenon amongst our youth.

Our youth must know that it is one’s behaviour that determines whether one is a man or not. ‘Manhood’ is something you earn – it is not something given to you just because you are circumcised or you are able to buy and consume alcohol.

The Xhosa nation must wake up from its slumber – our customs are dying a natural death. More importantly, the vultures are always there to ensure that this particular custom has been destroyed completely. Here I am referring to non-Xhosa people, especially the colonialists, people who have no interest in the Xhosa nation and its customs.

Reference in this book has been made to medical male circumcision (MMC) only in order to compare it with traditional male circumcision (TMC). In so doing, we are able to demonstrate that, unlike TMC, MMC has nothing to do with the passage of youth from boyhood to manhood or adulthood, but is done for health and cosmetic reasons only.

Lastly, to those Xhosa people who read this book, I hope they will be able to pick up one or two things from it, and be able to advise, educate, impart with the information and equip our youth accordingly, thereby building the great Xhosa nation.

Surely, some contents of this book will be rejected by many of the Xhosa men as it is exposing some very secretive information about this noble custom to the strangers or foreigners and uncircumcised and non-traditionally circumcised men. That is a good and normal thing to happen. Regardless of that, since now we are living in a changing world, Xhosa men and culture need to change too, otherwise they will be irrelevant