AmaXhosa: Ulwaluko (i.e male circumcision ceremony), 2026
Mixed media (yarn, raffia, beads), handsewn
70,5 cm x 124 cm
Artist’s Statement
This is an abstract piece that pays homage to ‘Ulwaluko’: the Xhosa circumcision initiation ceremony that Xhosa boys are required to undergo as a rite of passage to manhood.
On the far-left side of the artwork are golden beads that represent maize as the ceremony usually takes place when the corn has ripened. In the middle of the artwork is an abstract design that is made from raffia, yarn and beads. Raffia is one of the main materials used as it represents the isolated grass huts that the initiates live in during the initiation period as well as the grass headdresses worn. The shades of beige and brown, represent colours of the surrounding landscape. The black zig zag lines represent the river in which the initiates bathe for important moments during the initiation. The red yarn and beads represent the blood that flows from the actual circumcision as well as from the livestock slaughtered for celebration purposes. The white beads strewn across the artwork represent the white clay which is smeared over the bodies of the initiates.
On the far-right side of the artwork is a section of white and red lines. These represent the design of the ‘Abakhwetha’ blanket which is worn by the initiates during the ceremony. The red stripes symbolise blood and recognise the wearer’s successful transition to manhood.
The white yarn in the artwork is a representation of what the blanket looks like when an initiate covers their body with it for the first time – clean and untouched by dust. However, during the isolation period, the blanket will naturally become dirty as it accumulates dust from the rural landscape. It is likely that the yarn in the artwork will also get a bit dusty as time progresses which is an accurate representation of the transformation of the blanket in real life.
