initiate receives a new blanket and is now called "ikrwala" (singular) which means new man or amakrwala (plural - new men).

Health concerns

At least 969 initiates have died from complications resulting from the ritual since 1995. Accurate statistics are not available for the number of penile amputations, but it is estimated that their number is roughly twice the number of deaths. Most deaths and complications are the result of incompetence on the part of traditional practitioners. This is the reason why in particular Pondoland

1.Previous
3.Next