Ulwaluko

All of the learners in our school are Xhosa. While here, we have heard about a rite of passage (ulwaluko) that Xhosa young men endure. Dold & Cocks (2012) describe the passage from ubukhwenkwe to ubudoda (from boyhood to manhood), the history of this tradition, and the cultural implications of it today. It is a ritual that represents a critical juncture in the identity development of Xhosa boys and the families who surround them. And while several scholars have written about the practice (including some who have critiqued it), it is a necessary journey in Xhosa tradition. As I have considered this tradition, along with others (including the importance of being in relationship to others) for the Xhosa teachers and students with whom we work, I am learning to just be....to be with them in this time and space, to bear witness to their lives from a very difficult outsider perspective. And I do so each day in a school setting that consistently reminds me of the effects of colonialism....from the prayer that began the faculty meeting, to the singing of the Lord's prayer at the school assembly, to the use of English as the language of instruction in grades 4 and above. Today, as we worked with the members of the book club who will compete in a book competition in October, I listened as a young lady summarized her book--Don Quixote. The irony to me was that, somehow, in this place where so many cultures intersect, when we (she, as Xhosa) and me (as African American), would have in common a text like Don Quixote. The teachers have proudly shared that last year's team won the competition. So, when asked if we could assist this year's team in their preparations, I was daunted. What happens if we help and they do not win? The stakes are high and, if I have learned anything about Xhosa culture thus far, it is that we strive, struggle, win, and lose together. 

References

Dold, T. & Cocks, M. (2012). Voices from the forest: Celebrating nature and culture in Xhosaland. Jacana media (Pty) Ltd.: Auckland Park, South Africa.