Ulwaluko
Ulwaluko is the name for traditional circumcision as practised by the Xhosa of South Africa.
Contents
Video
The Eastern Cape Province of South Africa is home to the Xhosa people, one of the nation's largest tribes. They live in the modern world, but they maintain ancient customs—including one by which boys become men...and starts with pain.
Ulwaluko: Photos
Note: The photographs collection shown on this page have originally been hosted online on http://ulwaluko.co.za/Photos.html. Sometime in 2020, the photos have been deleted there, but were still available on the Internet Archive.
These selected photographs were taken in various health institutions in the Eastern Cape during 2012 and 2013. They illustrate the magnitude of the problem faced by medical practitioners during the initiation seasons.
Informed consent has been obtained for each clinical photograph shown. Every effort has been made to ensure anonymity and all metadata has been removed. Some photographs have been edited digitally to enhance colours and contrast.
Mia Malan, the health editor of the Mail and Guardian newspaper, wrote two articles about the boys behind the photographs: 'the boys who lost their manhood' and 'play speaks for maimed initiates'. Both articles are excruciating reads.
Please be warned that most photographs are graphic. Scroll down to view them.
Photo categories
The photos are categorized for various types of circumcision damages which can be easily found when sorting the following table by Type:
Ulwaluko photos collection
| # | Type | Image |
|---|---|---|
| 001 | Infected | 
|
| 002 | Skin loss | 
|
| 003 a | Infected | 
|
| 003 b | Infected | 
|
| 004 | Incomplete | 
|
| 005 | Muthi | 
|
| 006 | Infected | 
|
| 007 | Incomplete | 
|
| 008 | Muthi | 
|
| 009 | Infected | 
|
| 010 | Infected | 
|
| 011 | Incomplete | 
|
| 012 | Muthi | 
|
| 013 | Gangrene | 
|
| 014 | Infected | 
|
| 015 | Infected | 
|
| 016 | Muthi | 
|
| 017 | Large wound | 
|
| 018 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 019 | Incomplete | 
|
| 020 | Gangrene | 
|
| 021 | Deformed | 
|
| 022 | Infected | 
|
| 023 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 024 | Infected | 
|
| 025 | Large wound | 
|
| 026 | Rotting | 
|
| 027 | Death | 
|
| 028 | Skin loss | 
|
| 029 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 030 | Incomplete | 
|
| 031 | Skewed | 
|
| 032 | Skin loss | 
|
| 033 | Death | 
|
| 034 | Incomplete | 
|
| 035 | Amputee | 
|
| 036 | Infected | 
|
| 037 | Deformed | 
|
| 038 | Skin loss | 
|
| 039 | Infected | 
|
| 040 | Infected | 
|
| 041 | Deformed | 
|
| 042 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 043 | Amputee | 
|
| 044 a | Gangrene | 
|
| 044 b | Gangrene | 
|
| 044 c | Gangrene | 
|
| 044 d | Gangrene | 
|
| 044 e | Gangrene | 
|
| 045 | Death | 
|
| 046 a | Infected | 
|
| 046 b | Infected | 
|
| 047 a | Gangrene | 
|
| 047 b | Gangrene | 
|
| 047 c | Gangrene | 
|
| 047 d | Gangrene | 
|
| 048 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 049 | Tight bandage | 
|
| 050 | Large wound | 
|
| 051 | Infected | 
|
| 052 a | Gangrene | 
|
| 052 b | Gangrene | 
|
| 052 c | Gangrene | 
|
| 052 d | Gangrene | 
|
| 053 a | Large wound | 
|
| 053 b | Large wound | 
|
| 054 | Muthi | 
|
| 055 a | Gangrene | 
|
| 055 b | Gangrene | 
|
| 055 c | Gangrene | 
|
| 056 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 057 a | Large wound | 
|
| 057 b | Large wound | 
|
| 058 | Infected | 
|
| 059 | Torture | 
|
| 060 a | Incomplete | 
|
| 060 b | Incomplete | 
|
| 061 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 062 | Deformed | 
|
| 063 a | Gangrene | 
|
| 063 b | Gangrene | 
|
| 063 c | Gangrene | 
|
| 064 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 065 | Nose pulling | 
|
| 066 a | Deformed | 
|
| 066 b | Deformed | 
|
| 067 | Infected | 
|
| 068 | Infected | 
|
| 069 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 070 | Infected | 
|
| 071 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 072 | Deformed | 
|
| 073 | Amputee | 
|
| 074 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 075 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 076 | Large wound | 
|
| 077 | Amputee | 
|
| 078 | Infected | 
|
| 079 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 080 | Amputee | 
|
| 081 | Abuse | 
|
| 082 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 083 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 084 | Skin loss | 
|
| 085 | Infected | 
|
| 086 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 087 | Infected | 
|
| 088 | Infected | 
|
| 089 | Infected | 
|
| 090 | Abscess | 
|
| 091 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 092 | Infected | 
|
| 093 | Muthi | 
|
| 094 a | Gangrene | 
|
| 094 b | Gangrene | 
|
| 094 c | Gangrene | 
|
| 095 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 096 | Infected | 
|
| 097 a | Gangrene | 
|
| 097 b | Gangrene | 
|
| 097 c | Gangrene | 
|
| 097 d | Gangrene | 
|
| 097 e | Gangrene | 
|
| 098 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 099 | Infected | 
|
| 100 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 101 a | Gangrene | 
|
| 101 b | Gangrene | 
|
| 101 c | Gangrene | 
|
| 102 | Tissue loss | 
|
| 103 | Skin loss | 
|
| 104 | Amputee | 
|
| 105 a | Gangrene | 
|
| 105 b | Gangrene | 
|
| 105 c | Gangrene | 
|
| 105 d | Gangrene | 
|
| 106 | Abscess | 
|
| 107 | Infected | 
|
| 108 a | Gangrene | 
|
| 108 b | Gangrene | 
|
| 108 c | Gangrene | 
|
| 109 | Skin loss | 
|
| 110 | Large wound | 
|
| 111 | Infected | 
|
| 112 a | Gangrene | 
|
| 112 b | Gangrene | 
|
| 112 c | Gangrene | 
|
| 113 | Large wound | 
|
| 114 | Infected | 
|
| 115 | Hypospadias | 
|
| 116 | Skin loss | 
|
| 117 | Skin loss | 
|
| 118 | Infected | 
|
| 119 | Skin loss | 
|
| 120 | Infected | 
|
| 121 | Amputee | 
|
| 122 a | Gangrene | 
|
| 122 b | Gangrene | 
|
| 122 c | Gangrene | 
|
| 122 d | Gangrene | 
|
| 123 | Skin loss | 
|
| 124 | Skin loss | 
|
| 125 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 126 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 127 | Infected | 
|
| 128 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 129 | Infected | 
|
| 130 | Gangrene | 
|
| 131 | Infected | 
|
| 132 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 133 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 134 a | Gangrene | 
|
| 134 b | Gangrene | 
|
| 134 c | Gangrene | 
|
| 135 | Tissue loss | 
|
| 136 | Infected | 
|
| 137 | Infected | 
|
| 138 | Infected | 
|
| 139 a | Gangrene | 
|
| 139 b | Gangrene | 
|
| 140 | Amputee | 
|
| 141 | Skin loss | 
|
| 142 | Deformed | 
|
| 143 a | Gangrene | 
|
| 143 b | Gangrene | 
|
| 144 | Torture | 
|
| 145 | Tissue loss | 
|
| 146 | Amputee | 
|
| 147 | SPC | 
|
| 148 | Skin loss | 
|
| 149 | Amputee | 
|
| 150 | Epithelium loss | 
|
| 151 | Pressure sores | 
|
| 152 | Amputee | 
|
| 153 a | Gangrene | 
|
| 153 b | Gangrene | 
|
| 154 | Amputee | 
|
| 155 | Abuse | 
|
See also
- People & Power - Ndiyindoda: I am a man
- Fatalities
Wikipedia article: Muti. Retrieved 21 March 2021.- Uganda circumcision, a video showing literally skinning the penis of an adolescent.
External links
-
Ulwaluko: Photos
(archive URL). Retrieved 2 November 2023. - Wikipedia article: Muti. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
(19 July 1996)."Initiation horror as four dead", Eastern Province Herald. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
Quote:Of the 36 admitted to St Elizabeth and Holycross hospitals with septic wounds, three had lost their manhood and two others may lose their male organs.
- Fihlani, Pumza (20 December 2019)."South Africa initiation schools suspended after circumcision deaths", British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
