Danie’s day of honour

A TEENAGE boy, Danie du Bruyn, from Bergnek between Polokwane and Zebediela, surprised many people when he decided to undergo initiation at a bush initiation school in Makhushwaneng village near Zebediela.

Danie (13), who is a gr. 7 learner at Sebotsi Combined School, said he made this decision because he did not want to remain a boy when his friends became men.

The soft-spoken teenager said he had always wanted to go through the Northern Sotho initiation ritual.

He said all his friends at school were black, and this was also a reason why he decided to be circumcised in the African way.

Danie said he was not afraid. He said he told himself that he could do it, even though some people criticised him.

“My father was against it at first but later gave permission. I have enjoyed being in the bush with the other boys,” he said.

“I don’t have a problem with African tradition. Danie made us proud and I slaughtered two goats for the occasion,” his father, Jacob Daniel du Bruyn told CV.

“When he arrived home singing and accompanied by other initiates on Saturday, we threw a big party to welcome him. White people were part and parcel of the celebration,” Du Bruyn said.

The chief of Makhush-waneng village, Sello Madimetja Kekana, said Danie was among the 861 boys who underwent the traditional Northern Sotho rite of passage into manhood.

He said he was happy that people of mixed race also recognised African initiation schools.

Danie was not the only child of mixed race to attend the school. Two other boys, Luciano Blom and Benny Southern, also attended.

The oldest initiate was Solomon Thoka (42) from Ga-Mothiba near Polokwane.

“In my area, there were 16 initiation schools for boys and 17 schools for girls. The total number of girls who attended the female initiation school was 540,” Kekana said.

The chairperson of the Limpopo House of Traditional Leaders, chief Malesela Dikgale, said all the initiation schools closed on Saturday and the boys and girls resumed their academic work on Monday.