The Wound

Dir: John Trengove

2017

*****

The Wound is an astonishing film by John Trengove that tackles two taboos at once – the Xhosa ceremony and homosexuality. Inspiration for the film came after Trengove read Thando Mgqolozana’s novel A Man Who is Not a Man on the topic of the Xhosa initiation ceremony and then added the homosexuality part of the story after reading up on true tales of gay men who had gone through it. The Xhosa initiation ritual is commonly conducted during late June/early July or late November/ early December and is intended as a teaching institution, to prepare young males for the responsibilities of manhood. Initiates are called abakhwetha in isiXhosa (aba means a group, and kwetha means to learn). A single male in the group is known as an umkhwetha. A male who has not undergone initiation is referred to as inkwenkwe (boy), regardless of his age, and is not allowed to take part in male activities such as tribal meetings. Those that go through the ritual never speak of it and are punished if they do so, and what happens has remained a secret for many years. However, a few men have spoken of their experiences over the years and much of what they have said about it is the same. During the ritual process the traditional surgeon (ingcibi) surgically removes the foreskin. After the cut is made the ingcibi says "You are a man!" The initiate shouts in reply "Ndiyindoda!" ("I am a man!"). The period of seclusion that follows lasts about one month and has two phases. During the first 7 days the initiates are confined to a hut and the use of certain foods, for example meat, is restricted, but this may differ as certain homes have their own beliefs or ways of doing things. This phase culminates in the ukojiswa rite, during which food taboos are released, marking the transition to the second phase that lasts a further two to three weeks. During these phases the initiates are looked after by the ikhankatha (traditional attendant). The termination of the period of seclusion commences when the boys are urged to race down to the river to wash themselves, yet again, depending on the location. The hut and the initiates' possessions are burnt. Each initiate receives a new blanket and is now called "ikrwala" (singular) which means new man or amakrwala (plural) (new man). The ritual has been considered taboo for hundreds of years with King Faku of Pondoland prohibiting it in the 1820s after he had lost several of his sons from complications. 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. A more modern taboo is that it is seen as a cure for homosexuality. Homosexual men in South Africa are still vilified and criticized by their communities. The ritual practice of ‘Ulwaluko’ is still highly respected and sacred cultural practice among the Xhosa and some Nguni speaking peoples of South Africa even though it fell out of grace for many years. Illegal initiation schools re-emerged in the 1980s and 1990s and the ritual is now being practiced on a large scale. It has been said that the impact of the practice may threaten the self-esteem of a homosexual young man, although it is not compulsory for any person to go to the 'mountain' it is suggested that parents of gay sons should send their boys to the mountain. Some homosexual men who partook in this ritual have reported doing so in order to receive personal validation of cultural manhood. Other reasons for partaking in Ulwaluko include fulfilling the desire to meet societal expectations as well as pressure from family to ‘convert’ to heterosexuality through the process of Ulwaluko and this is where the idea of Trengove’s film came from. The film begins with us seeing Xolani (Nakhane Touré) finish his factory job for a few weeks before he heads to the mountain to serve as an ikhankatha – a mentor and carer to young men partaking in the Ulwaluko ceremony. It’s clear that Xolani doesn’t necessarily think much of the ritual but he is respected as a strong ikhankatha and agrees to serve a young man from Johannesburg whose father sends him there after he finds his son to be spending too much time with his male friends locked in his bedroom. The truth is Xolani looks forward to the annual tradition due to the fact that it provides him the opportunity to reestablish his sexual and romantic relationship with old friend Vija (Bongile Mantsai). Vija is married with children and only sees Xolani once a year at the ritual. He keeps his homosexuality a secret, as does Xolani. When Kwanda (Niza Jay Ncoyini), the young man from Johannesburg, discovers the relationship between the two ikhankatha it leads to tension between all three men. Kwanda sees right through the hypocrisy and resents the idea he isn’t a man without going through the ritual, although he goes through it without complaint or protest. An intelligent man, he instead asks questions of the elders – who have no great answer and don’t like to be challenged. Tension builds further when Xolani and Vija fear their secret might come out, leading to a shocking conclusion. The film explores the ways in which minorities can often be trapped and secluded by society due to traditions. Traditions often halt free thinking and development and understanding which often leads to persecution. It’s a bold film that lead to controversy in South Africa that saw it banned after just a few public showings. The film has been accused of cultural insensitivity because it portrays secretive initiation rituals. However, other media covering the same topic, like Nelson Mandela's Long Walk to Freedom, have not received similar criticism, leading to accusations that complaints about the film are instead motivated by simple homophobia. It just goes to show how long we have to go as a race. However, it was well received in the west and many protested its ban in South Africa. Nakhane Touré, Bongile Mantsai and Niza Jay Ncoyini are all brilliant in their performances and really bring the story alive. It’s a frustrating story told with passion and vigor. Bold and vital, this film needs to be seen.