the Eastern Cape Province of South
Africa is home to the cosa people one of
the nation’s largest tribes the Cosa
live in the modern world but they
maintain ancient customs including one
by which boys become men it’s a rite of
passage that starts with pain every
summer boys are circumcised painted
white and isolated in remote Hut’s where
they spend weeks healing
always a difficult and dangerous
experience the tradition has become even
more so here in the city initiates crowd
into all available space hygiene is poor
an infection is common some cosa boys
died trying to become men
the Mahal a family is sending one of its
own the journey to manhood Tondo is
enjoying his last day as a boy and what
a upon appeal and what do you like is
something he’s not communal so weird
because I hear lot of guys go to
hospital the whole poster community will
participate in this rite of passage the
men load up materials to build tanto a
hut in the bush his family chose an
isolated site at the outskirts of town
distracted by the Hut construction Kondo
doesn’t notice that the surgeon has
arrived
traditional surgeons have no formal
training but some have more skill than
others there will be no ceremony before
the circumcision it comes with the speed
of an ambulance
without warning the surgeon steps
forward to remove Hondo’s foreskin
ignoring the pain Tondo shouts out know
what cosa tradition holds that foreskins
must be buried to keep sorcerers from
using them in witchcraft the surgeon is
also careful to clean the blade to
reduce the risk of transmitting diseases
such as AIDS
Ribbit’s pump when the hut is read he’ll
be left here alone for weeks now the
real danger Honda’s initiation begins in
the coming weeks he faces the risk of
infection even gangrene and until he’s
healed he can eat no fresh food and
drink no water last a too low Salam on
the initiates must not drink water
because the water comes out of the penis
and makes the wound wet so it doesn’t
heal properly should infection strike
he’ll have to choose between getting
care and remaining true to his tribe if
he seeks medical attention the Cosa will
never accept him as a man the white clay
paint marks Tondo as an initiate he’ll
wear it throughout his transition but
right now his mind is on water which he
is forbidden to drink sometimes
initiates face dehydration so severe it
can sicken or even kill Tondo is allowed
to sustain himself with only a liquid
lean from
after a week’s Tondo is well enough to
drink water and he’s allowed to visit
with other initiates whose huts are
nearby their experiences here in the
bush will bind them together in the Cosa
community
one month after Tondo left the men make
one last trip to his Hut gone is the
white clay pain of a boy now tanto
undergoes a centuries-old custom a
coating of fat but instead of the animal
fat his ancestors he’s anointed with
margarine from the supermarket the
entire community gathers to celebrate
and return everyone escorts him home
neighbors join the throng his
achievement is there by respecting
tradition and prevailing over hardship
Tondo has proven himself a man red clay
marks his new status he is now eligible
for marriage and other rights of
adulthood he has earned his place in the
cosa nation
Africa is home to the cosa people one of
the nation’s largest tribes the Cosa
live in the modern world but they
maintain ancient customs including one
by which boys become men it’s a rite of
passage that starts with pain every
summer boys are circumcised painted
white and isolated in remote Hut’s where
they spend weeks healing
always a difficult and dangerous
experience the tradition has become even
more so here in the city initiates crowd
into all available space hygiene is poor
an infection is common some cosa boys
died trying to become men
the Mahal a family is sending one of its
own the journey to manhood Tondo is
enjoying his last day as a boy and what
a upon appeal and what do you like is
something he’s not communal so weird
because I hear lot of guys go to
hospital the whole poster community will
participate in this rite of passage the
men load up materials to build tanto a
hut in the bush his family chose an
isolated site at the outskirts of town
distracted by the Hut construction Kondo
doesn’t notice that the surgeon has
arrived
traditional surgeons have no formal
training but some have more skill than
others there will be no ceremony before
the circumcision it comes with the speed
of an ambulance
without warning the surgeon steps
forward to remove Hondo’s foreskin
ignoring the pain Tondo shouts out know
what cosa tradition holds that foreskins
must be buried to keep sorcerers from
using them in witchcraft the surgeon is
also careful to clean the blade to
reduce the risk of transmitting diseases
such as AIDS
Ribbit’s pump when the hut is read he’ll
be left here alone for weeks now the
real danger Honda’s initiation begins in
the coming weeks he faces the risk of
infection even gangrene and until he’s
healed he can eat no fresh food and
drink no water last a too low Salam on
the initiates must not drink water
because the water comes out of the penis
and makes the wound wet so it doesn’t
heal properly should infection strike
he’ll have to choose between getting
care and remaining true to his tribe if
he seeks medical attention the Cosa will
never accept him as a man the white clay
paint marks Tondo as an initiate he’ll
wear it throughout his transition but
right now his mind is on water which he
is forbidden to drink sometimes
initiates face dehydration so severe it
can sicken or even kill Tondo is allowed
to sustain himself with only a liquid
lean from
after a week’s Tondo is well enough to
drink water and he’s allowed to visit
with other initiates whose huts are
nearby their experiences here in the
bush will bind them together in the Cosa
community
one month after Tondo left the men make
one last trip to his Hut gone is the
white clay pain of a boy now tanto
undergoes a centuries-old custom a
coating of fat but instead of the animal
fat his ancestors he’s anointed with
margarine from the supermarket the
entire community gathers to celebrate
and return everyone escorts him home
neighbors join the throng his
achievement is there by respecting
tradition and prevailing over hardship
Tondo has proven himself a man red clay
marks his new status he is now eligible
for marriage and other rights of
adulthood he has earned his place in the
cosa nation
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