Ritual celebration of teen years

Umhlonyane is generally known as a ceremony held for a girl entering her teen years while Umemulo is a ritual to celebrate a young lady’s journey into womanhood.

Brooke Sithole (13) of Glencoe experienced this culture of Umhlonyane on June 27.
There were ‘amatshitshi’ that accompanied Brooke to perform the ritual. There are many cultural activities that are performed during this process which include the slaughtering of the goat or sheep. Brooke’s mother, Nelly Sithole, told the Courier that they did not use goats to perform their rituals as they prefer sheep.
During the Umemulo ceremony families slaughter a cow and this can happen at any age.

Even married women have to perform this ritual, as required by the family, provided the ancestors permit.