“This Is Beautiful”: Male and Female Twins Celebrate His Return From Mountain Together, SA in Awe
- A young man and his twin sister returned from the mountain, where he stayed for a few weeks, being initiated as a man
- As he was coming back, his twin sister also participated in the ceremony to celebrate his return and transition through the channel of bringing him back up to being celebrated like him
- A clip of the celebration was shared online, attracting much attention from social media users who were intrigued by the beauty of the Xhosa custom
- Briefly News made an attempt to understand the Xhosa initiation custom for twins of different genders
Source: TikTok
A TikTok user shared a glimpse of the beautiful Xhosa custom of celebrating a boy's return from the mountain, but this one had a twist. The young man had a twin sister, and in isiXhosa, the girl had to be one of the returnees.
The fascinating display of the beautiful culture was captured and shared on the video streaming platform under the handle @lelet203.
The twins receive wisdom from grown-ups.
The clip shows the female twin dressed in traditional Xhosa regalia, holding a stick she uses to greet people. She can't shake people's hands like her brother, and he follows behind her. The video moves to show them being given guiding words and gifts as they sit next to each other.
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Watch the video below:
Xhosa twis and cultural practices
We at Briefly News had the pleasure of speaking with Mkhulu Thobile, a sangoma and a Xhosa tradition advocate based in Cape Town, about the initiation custom for twins who are not the same gender. Here's what he had to say:
"The process of ulwaluko for twins of different genders is unique in the Xhosa culture as it is the only time a girl is allowed to come near ibhoma (initiate house) when the rite of passage is about to occur.
When the boy goes to the mountain, the twin sister accompanies him in the same regalia until they reach the secluded area where he will stay for a few weeks. She returns to her home just before the custom is carried out.
On the day of his return, she returns to the place where her brother was during his initiation and returns with him dressed in a similar blanket with imbola (red ochre) on her face. She undergoes the whole guidance process from elders."
He added:
"In the Xhosa culture, twins are considered to be the same; this belief extends to the afterlife. If one twin dies, the surviving twin must enter the grave first and lie down before the coffin is placed and covered with soil."
The Xhosa initiation customs trends
The video left social media users expressing how beautiful the Xhosa passage to manhood is, as many were not aware that the female twin also plays a role while her brother is on the mountain and his return. Intrigued, some asked the TkTok user more questions to gain more insight.
User @MbuyiCaleni shared:
"This is so interesting can we have more videos."
User @siga198602 commented:
"I don't know why I get so emotional 😭 when I see this "amawele"."
User @SibuM added:
"Oh, this is the most beautiful thing I've seen on the internet 😭 anisebahle (you look so beautiful). Thank you for sharing 🙏."
User @pablo commented:
"So the girl also went entabeni (to the mountain)?"
User @TumieJayXabas said:
"This is beautiful😍 can't wait to see mine next week 🥰."
User @Thandiwemalgas added:
"I get so emotional every time I see these amawele vids. I am a twin, and we don't get along. We hate each other so much that we can't be in the same room💔."
3 Briefly News Mgidi articles
- A Xhosa family brought back the young man from the mountain in a helicopter, sparking cultural debates online.
- A single mom celebrated her son's return from the mountain after weeks of being unable to see him.
- A Xhosa family did not let the snow prevent them from celebrating their child's return from the initiation school, choosing to celebrate in the cold.
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Source: Briefly News
