School rules and regulations are challenged by culture as newly-initiated Xhosa men, or amakrwala, return to society from their time in the bush.
School rules and regulations are challenged by culture as newly-initiated Xhosa men, or amakrwala, return to society from their time in the bush.
After initiation the amakrwala are expected to wear traditional clothing for a period of up to six months to cement their transformation into manhood, but this has caused tension between school authorities and initiates because it violates certain school policies. After this issue sparked a public debate in Port Alfred recently, Grocott's Mail decided to investigate the extent of this problem in Grahamstown.
Last year in Khutliso Daniels Secondary School a newsletter was sent out to parents saying that from this year onwards pupils returning from initiation school needed to wear the full school uniform, instead of traditional clothes.
"But it's funny," the school's principal Radio Mcuba said, "how the selfsame parents who agreed to this last year are the ones sending their kids to school without uniform now."
He said in the past the school has been lenient and gave new initiates a period of two months to wear their traditional clothing, "even though in doing so we are still violating our school policies." But the problem isn't with the kids, according to Mcuba, but rather with parents who don't support township schools. "You would get the same parent with a kid in a township school and another kid in a school in town, and that kid will be in full uniform from day one," he said.
Graeme College principal Peter Reed said that the school adheres to a code of conduct and uniform policy where exceptions can only be made after a written request from a parent is given for consideration to the school's governing body. But Graeme hasn't experienced any difficulty with learners wearing the incorrect school uniform, the principal said.
"Clearly one needs to be tolerant of customs and religious practices," said St Andrew's College principal, Paul Edey, "but one also needs to maintain a stance on discipline and uniform". For example, he said that St Andrew's is an Anglican school and regardless of a pupil's religion they are explicitly told before enrolment that they're expected to attend chapel with the rest of the school.
The traditional attire generally consists of amakrwala wearing old-fashioned suits, caps and smearing clay on their faces, and symbolises the initiate's status as a new man. "It shows that he has left childhood behind, has gone through the circumcision process and has entered a new phase of life, maturity, and responsibility," said Libo Mayalo, a Graeme College pupil who matriculated and underwent initiation in December 2010.
According to Mayalo this outward demonstration of an inner change is a hugely significant part of the process, and a great source of pride. Such outfits also serve to remind the new men to behave accordingly and respectfully in this period of transition, he said.
"Wearing traditional clothing felt good to some extent because of its significance; you were kind of shouting out to the world telling them you're a man, but sometimes it made me feel left out because of the restrictions that came with the clothing," Mayalo said.
