A longstanding manhood ritual reveals some sobering, unintended truths in the South African drama “The Wound” from director John Trengove. Issues of sexuality, generational divide, class and ...

Unless you’re a healthcare worker, you’ve probably never seen anything like the pictures on Ulwaluko.co.za. “Please be warned that this website contains graphic medical images of penile disfigurement ...

Last weekend, this newspaper carried a harrowing story about the continuing tragedy of adolescents who are ­victims of botched circumcisions. We wish it had given us insights into why most of these ...

Public conversations on the tradition of ulwaluko are usually centred on male oriented norms for circumcision. It israre to hear the conversation geared towards what ulwaluko actually means to black ...

The ulwaluko is a circumcision ritual practised by South Africa's ethnic Xhosa tribe between May and July each year. The Xhosa, whose name is pronounced with a click of the palate, have a tradition ...

Every year young boys die in the process of “becoming men”, ulwaluko. Recently Mpumalanga made news when 27 boys died at an initiation camp. When such stories are reported I’m reminded of the imigidi ...

But, when culture goes wrong, it can be devastating. Initiation, or ulwaluko &ndash in the form of male circumcision &ndash is an example. It has caused nearly 100 deaths this past initiation season ...