Why not introduce ukuhlolwa at schools?
On Heritage Day, September 24, I was among the guests who were invited to witness the traditional virginity-test graduation ceremony in Katlehong’s Nhlapo Section.
The occasion was to celebrate and honour this year’s graduation by young pre and post puberty teenage girls who successfully passed this “sacred” and revered traditional ceremony.
Known as “Ukuhlolwa kwe zintombi”, the virginity and chastity of teenage girls are verified and confirmed by elderly women who are the custodians of this old isi Zulu custom.
My host, Ma Zondo as she is popularly known in traditional circles, is the female head, respected elder and matriarch in charge of this highly revered and respected annual ceremony. It has been an integral part of the isiZulu culture and tradition since the nation was founded.
And for decades, Ma-Zondo has been the modern force behind keeping this noble IsiZulu cultural tradition alive in Ekurhuleni.
Hundreds of young Zulu maidens, many of them today are respected married housewives with their own families who have gone through Ma-Zondo’s traditional virginity-testing ceremonies and passed the high standards set according to isiZulu custom, are known to write and compose traditional songs thanking Ma-Zondo for helping them keep their virginity intact until they got married.
One such song. ‘Ngabe ngiyini mina ngaphandle kwakho we Ma-Zondo?’, remains one of the many terms of endearment dedicated to MaMazondo. It means, ‘What would I be, without you Ma-Zondo?’
Although my job at this decent and purely joyous traditional graduation ceremony, attended mostly by proud and happy families who had accompanied or come to witness their equally proud teenage daughters receive their certification confirming their virginity, was to take photographs, write notes and feed my hunger by indulging in joy the sumptuous traditional isiZulu culinary delights.
Although the same tradition is commonly practised by numerous other African nations, both in South Africa and many other nations outside our border, the main objective and purpose of the practice are to simply rid families and communities of the scourge of pre-marital sex and teenage pregnancy.
As an important figure in the community of Kathorus, her job is one of its kind, grooming young teenage girls on how to avoid indulging in sexual activity at an early age and instead grow up into becoming respectable members of society in the communities, neighbourhoods as well as in the families.
An English summary of ‘ukuhlwa’ is that young girls are tested from the ages of eight and upwards by older women who are selected or can volunteer in their areas to be virginity testers.
On monthly basis, young girls are taken to a safe place – these can be community centres or houses of these women.
Each girl is tested to see if they are still a virgin. A white mark on their foreheads symbolises that they are still virgins.
The girls are not only tested regularly but they are also taught life skills, behaviour and on how to talk to a man who wants to court them. They are encouraged to keep pride in their virginity.
The good thing about virginity testing is that when it is noticed that a girl is no longer a virgin, it is easy to know who did it so that the family can claim the necessary financial damages that are often demanded by the girls’ families in such cases.
For heaven’s sake, why does the government not introduce ‘ukuhlolwa’ to rid the country of the embarrassing pandemic of teenage pregnancies?
