Cape Town – Directors of a local film, The Wound, have come under fire from traditional leaders who have labelled the production disrespectful and undermining to the Xhosa culture.
The film, depicting a gay factory worker who travels from the city to the Eastern Cape to be circumcised in a traditional rite-of-passage ceremony, recently premiered at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in the US.
But traditional leaders said they were outraged by the film’s two-minute trailer as it showcases the hidden tradition of the Xhosa rite of passage into manhood.
The Embo Initiation Council in Langa said they were offended by the contents of the film and would be raising the issue with relevant authorities.
“In our culture we send a boy to the mountain to become a man because the process is meant to be private and no one should interfere with its privacy.
“This is something we regret in the strongest terms. It’s very concerning that our culture is still being looked down at,” said Embo Initiation Council chairperson Chisa Katangan.
The council said it had a discussion after viewing the trailer and requested its chairperson to take up the matter with the Xhosa traditional house to seek guidance and possibly take the matter to a court of law.