We need wisdom of our elders to prevent infanticides
Tribal traditionalist, cultural activist and historian Gudluz Galaza tells me that media stories of young children being killed by their parents have left a sour taste in his toothless mouth and those of all doting and caring parents.
A case in point is that of a young Mpumalanga mother who poisoned and killed three of her young girls, the youngest being four years old. The other is that of a father who killed his daughters in an apparent feud between him and his estranged wife. As if that were not gruesome enough, a father who is alleged to have been caught up in a divorce dispute also opted to cruelly murder his children to hurt their mother.
How absurd!
My friend Galaza finds it abominable that people resort to murdering their own children to inflict hurt on their partners. He questions the notion of two people saying they’re in love and calls their claim a fallacy.
“What is the point if at the end of your relationship your partner finds nothing wrong in killing his or her own?
Galaza slates the use of children as pawns in couples’ battles.
“It is un-African and against the principles of ubuntu for parents to spill the blood of their own flesh, no matter how difficult your hardship or marital problems in your marriage.”
Galaza says violence seems ingrained in our society.
Drawing from the wisdom that comes with age, Galaza laments what he says is the defilement of young boys and girls through premarital sex. He says this is the biggest problem hindering the advancement of young black people.
“Too many of our young people become parents at a very early age and then burden themselves with adult responsibilities. Instead, they should be enjoying their youth.” He says young people seem to believe they can first have a baby and then decided later if they want to get married or not.
“It doesn’t work that way!” he exclaims.
He points to the drastic decline in morality in our society, leading to domestic violence, rape, murder and infanticides.
He says the stress of modern society differs vastly from the serenity of black culture in the past.
“These young folk may have all the money and gadgets that are supposed to make life less of a burden, but the majority of them are inadequately equipped, mentally, to raise babies and maintain a family and a marriage with all its ups and downs,” says Galaza.
He adds, “I am not suggesting that all teenagers and young people should be confined to a loveless world while at school. But I think it is morally wrong for any young boy or girl to think every member of the opposite sex is there to gratify their desires.”
Galaza says many black teenage girls are under the illusion that bearing a boy’s baby is the only way to keep him, but when the flame of love dies, they opt to hurt their own children and thus their spouse.
How to avoid becoming a perpetrator of domestic violence and even a child killer? His advice to young people, especially learners, is to focus on their studies. Once they’re done, they should try to find a job and save up money to travel and see the world, expand their minds, learn more about themselves and gain life experience.
Follow us on these social media platforms:
