Father goes for circumcision with son
Unusual initiatives: 42-year-old Andile Gqomfa ( left), with his 19-year-old son Siyanda (right) outside their hut and painted white as part of the initiation yesterday. Picture: MICHAEL PINYANA
From VUYOLWETHU SANGOTSHA in South Africa
In a bizarre move that has shocked the community, a 42-year-old South African man is undergoing the traditional Xhosa circumcision ritual with his 19-year-old son.
Mr Andile Gqomfa and his son Siyanda from Clumber, near Bathurst went to the initiation school on Christmas Day. According to custom, it is taboo for a parent to undergo the rite with his child. But the Gqomfas set aside tradition and went ahead anyway.
"Someone tipped me that my son was planning to go to the initiation school. I informed his mother, Liziwe, about this and she suggested that I should join him. She also advised me to save some money for the circumcision ceremony expenses," Gqomfa senior said.
In Xhosa culture a man is not well respected if he is not circumcised.
When his son told him about his intention to go through the rite, they agreed to do it together, something Gqomfa said he had been thinking about for some time.
He said younger men who went to the initiation school in the past showed him respect, but there were some people who thought otherwise.
"I was a laughing stock to some people here, because they thought I was scared of going to the mountain. I can’t be scared of something that I have not experienced. I was just waiting for the right time to do it," he added.
Siyanda vowed not to disrespect his father, despite the unusual arrangement. The youngster said he was prompted to go after receiving calls from his friends in Port Elizabeth and Peddie telling him they would be attending.
"Although we did this thing together, he will always be my father. I will continue to say ’tata’ (Dad) and I will not call him by his name because that would be disrespectful," Siyanda added.
Sguntsu Dayimani, their traditional nurse who is also the father of Gqomfa’s live-in-partner, said the two initiates had a good relationship.
Dayimani, who has been a traditional nurse for more than two decades, said as a family they rallied behind Gqomfa and they supported his decision.
"We are glad that he has finally decided to undergo the ritual," said Dayimani. - Daily Dispatch