The absurd cost of becoming a “man”
South Africa offers us, once again, a master lesson in how to turn an ancestral tradition into Russian roulette with predictable and tragically stupid results. At least 41 young people have had the dubious honor of dying in recent months, not in a war or a pandemic, but by the glorious procedure of ritual circumcision. Yes, you read that right. The passport to adulthood for some communities, such as the Xhosa, has been transformed into a one-way ticket to the afterlife, thanks to an explosive mix of negligence, greed and medical advice that would make any first-year nursing student cry.
The authorities, who were surely busy with more important matters, announced the macabre balance sheet this Tuesday. The rite of passage, that special moment where values and responsibilities are instilled, has the annoying habit of ending in tragedy year after year. So much so that the government has had to intervene. Imagine having to legislate so that children are not killed in a cultural ceremony. How sensitive we moderns are, ruining the authenticity of things.
Business, tradition and a pinch of contempt for life
Of course, there are regulations. initiation schools must be registered. But oh surprise! That has not stopped the flourishing industry of illegal initiation schools. The motivation? Money, dear reader. Parents pay for this “service”, and some clever entrepreneurs saw a golden opportunity (literally) to set up their beach bar without papers, standards, or, apparently, drinking water. Because who needs to hydrate after surgery in dubious conditions? Absurd.
The Minister of Traditional Affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa, came on stage to distribute blame with the elegance of an elephant in a china shop. He blamed the negligence of the schools, even the registered ones!, and the parents themselves for not following up. And then he dropped the pearl: among the wise advice that kids receive is to avoid drinking water to heal faster. Bright. Dehydration as a healing method. Someone should nominate this anonymous guru for the Nobel Prize in Medicine.
The jewel in the crown is the province of the Eastern Cape, a true “hot spot” where 21 of these deaths have been concentrated. Hlabisa also announced, to make it seem like they are doing something, the arrest of 41 people linked to illegal schools. Among them, parents who lied about the age of their children. Because the law says you have to be at least 16 years old. Because dying at 15 lacks the necessary cultural glamor, I guess.
Meanwhile, the traditional initiation continues, and the return of the survivors is celebrated with joyful celebrations. One can’t help but wonder: how many will miss the party next year? How many families will change songs for laments thanks to this lethal mix of ritualism and apathy? It is the eternal debate between preserving an identity and using, even a little, common sense. Apparently, common sense is not so traditional.
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