Parents and community members gathered at Hamabidi Village on Saturday, 18 July, to welcome home their sons after they had spent a month at a traditional initiation school.
The atmosphere was filled with joy as the initiates, who had spent the winter school holidays in the mountains, emerged to reunite with their families.
Traditional leader Vhamusanda Vho Mahanda Mabidi, who had accompanied the initiates throughout their stay in the mountains, officially handed the boys back to their parents during the homecoming ceremony.
He thanked parents for entrusting the initiation school with the care of their sons and commended the school’s owner, Mr Itani Nemavhulani, for ensuring that it was well organised and completed the season without any incidents.
No fatalities were reported at the initiation school during the winter season in Vhembe. According to Nemavhulani, this achievement was the result of close cooperation between the traditional surgeon and the Limpopo Department of Health, which ensured that all initiates underwent health screening before being admitted to the school.
The young men who attended the initiation school said they had learnt valuable lessons about their culture, discipline, responsibility and respect for others.
Nemavhulani, who took over the management of the initiation school from his late father, said he was proud to continue the family's tradition of operating a safe and responsible initiation school.
One of the initiates, 10-year-old Ndugelo Mahandana, said he had asked his parents for permission to attend the initiation school because it was something he had always wanted to do.
“I am very happy that I attended and graduated. I wouldn’t have felt complete if I had not gone through the same traditional process as my father and forefathers,” he said.