Umhloyana

When It's All Forgotten Nature Calls For Culture

Fourteen to fifteen years down the line the next step comes to life. Umhloyana oUmhloyana is a ritual performed when a girl reaches puberty (when they get their first menstruation) exactly than, usually between the ages 14-16. Umhlonyana is a name of a plant that was, in the old days, used to cleanse the girl when she got her first menstruation; it was also used to make the girl firm in order to survive in the outside wold, the girl has to drink it while preparing for the actual ritual. But nowadays ‘umhlonyana’ the plant is not used as it is no longer available, the only umhlonyana plant that still exist is said to be in Newcastle .

This ritual is done to introduce a girl to the different stage and to tell her she must be careful and be watchful of her behaviour. It is also meant to teach girls how to behave when they reach the puberty stage. As I have mentioned above that it is for girls who have reached puberty but some people associate it with Sweet 16 Birthday celebration, maybe because some people have it when they are 16 years. In some cases, you may find that a girl child, especially if they are first born, may face difficulties growing up, they might get seriously ill. They may discover that their ill because they did not do the ‘umhlonyana’ ritual, even if they are way past the puberty stage, they will have to go back and do the ritual.
As it is important to obey ancestors and do as they have commanded. When preparing for the ritual, the girl who will be having ‘umhlonyane’ has to ask other girls her age to gather at her house for a week. In that week, old woman are to stay with the girls, talk to them (ukuyala) about what it means to be a young lady and how they should carry themselves. During that week, the girls are to stay together in one room, they are not allowed to go anywhere, food is prepared for them and they are served, they only leave the room when going to the bathroom. They are also not allowed to talk to males and they wear ‘imbovu’ (red ochre) on their faces. Their stay during this whole week in known as umgondo, so they are said to be at emgonqweni.
Most general families would choose to celebrate this day on Saturday but under the Shembe religion, people who practice the religion only celebrate this day on Sunday, because Saturday is where they have their church service which strictly states that they are not to part in anything apart from praising their Go.
#ReligionMeetsCulture #ZuluGirl #Umhloyana