The traditional Ulwaluko ritual, a long-standing initiation practice among the Xhosa people in South Africa, concluded its 2025 summer season with a tragic outcome. 39 boys died during the festival, according to reports.
The ceremony, which involves circumcision, marks the cultural transition from childhood to manhood. However, the ritual continues to face harsh criticism, especially over the role of illegal initiation schools that are blamed for most of the deaths.
What is Ulwaluko Ritual? Circumcision Using Old Spears, Razor Blades
Authorities and community leaders have pointed to underground initiation schools as the main contributors to the annual death toll. These centers, often operated by unqualified individuals, carry out procedures using unhygienic tools and without proper medical oversight.
Eastern Cape provincial chairperson Athol Trollip of Action SA emphasized the issue in a 2023 statement, “the bulk of deaths are caused by illegal initiation schools run by opportunistic and unqualified individuals.”
In these unregulated setups, boys are circumcised using tools like old spears and razor blades that are often not sanitized between uses. In 2024, this led to 93 deaths and 11 amputations. Over the past five years, 361 boys have lost their lives during the Ulwaluko rites, according to the Daily Mail.
How Ulwaluko Ritual Has Become An Annual Tragedy
As the 2025 winter initiation season began, Velenkosini Hlabisa, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, pledged to reduce deaths by holding all initiation schools to account.
“All initiation schools are accountable and any school that contravenes the law and endangers lives then the law is unequivocal and they will be closed down at once,” Hlabisa said in a statement.
“We cannot accept any more deaths and owe it to these young men and their families to ensure their journey into adulthood is safe, dignified and respected, and of course safe.”
While this year’s toll of 39 is significantly lower than last year’s 93, critics say enforcement must be consistent and robust to prevent further tragedies.
The Cultural Importance of Ulwaluko Ritual
For many boys, undergoing Ulwaluko remains a deeply ingrained cultural milestone. In 2015, 19-year-old Scotty Dawka recounted his experience to the Guardian, “I was, of course, very scared of going. I wanted to be looked up to as a man in my village by the elders. It was very painful to go through, and I fell ill, but I was treated and survived.”
Another initiate, Aubrey Nkinqa, also 19 at the time, said, “in my community, a lot of boys went through initiation. That is why I had to do it because I wanted to be the same as them. I wanted to be a man.”
The process involves seclusion, physical trials, fasting, and circumcision. Completion is believed to signify spiritual purification, discipline, and readiness for adult responsibilities.
When Desmond Tutu Advocated Against Ulwaluko Ritual
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu was among the first prominent figures to advocate for reform while honoring tradition. Speaking in 2014, he called for cooperation between traditional leaders and medical professionals.
“The guardians of South African health and culture must find the means to work together to protect the sanctity of our traditional practices,” he said.
Tutu urged that traditional circumcision be enhanced by involving qualified practitioners, “we must protect these practices, but we must avoid placing too much focus on the physical and psychological ordeal.”
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