Limpopo initiation season comes to an end

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The initiation season which started in the middle of June in Limpopo ended on Saturday with one death reported. The death of a 16-year-old was reported at an initiation school at Bungeni village in the Collins Chabane local municipality, last week.

Thousands of initiates have been reunited with their families after spending a month in the mountains in various initiation schools in the province.

At Ga-Mothapo village outside Polokwane, parents of initiates, traditional leaders and initiates caretakers were dancing, ululating and singing in a homecoming celebrations. More than 400 initiates returned to their families from an initiation school in the area.

They have now graduated into adulthood. Among them is 17-year-old Joseph Mangena who uses a wheelchair. He says he beat all odds by completing the traditional rites of passage to manhood.

“I’m very excited I went to initiation school. They had taken care of me. It was good. It was my wish to go to initiation school so that I will have dignity and respect as a man. l learnt respect and how must behave towards elders.”

Joseph’s participation in the customary initiation is an inspiration to his fellow initiates. Talane Mothapo says he was excited when he found Joseph at the initiation school.

“I don’t know how can I express my feelings because I’m too excited. I was shocked, I asked him are you going to cope? While I was talking to him I can see that this guy is coping. We were experiencing a lot of things a real man must go there and experience those things.”

Parents have expressed excitement about return of their children.

“We are happy for our children. When they are coming back it is very important for the boys to go to the initiation schools because they must protect themselves from the sickness. We paid R2500 and we don’t have problem about that because all our kids are back and they are also happy.”

“We have done a lot of things for our kids like ceremonies everywhere. It is important because it teaches our children culture. I’m very much happy about the amount we have paid.”

Meanwhile, Queen Moremadi Mothapo of the Mothapo Traditional Authority is appealing to government to subsidize indigent families to take their children to initiation schools.

Several others initiation schools in the province closed last weekend.

Boys in Limpopo transition to manhood: