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Why I wanted a Xhosa circumcision

The white Afrikaans teenager who shared the traditional rituals of his black best friend

Ndibulele Sobhoyisi and Estiaan Swanepoel are both 18 years old, and best friends. They're from South Africa's Eastern Cape and last week they returned from a month at a Xhosa initiation school. This is an important coming of age ritual, where boys are sent away to become men, and part of it involves being circumcised by a spear. This can be very dangerous - it's reported that around 45 boys a year die from complications following botched circumcisions - and others have lost their penises. Estiaan's decision to go with his Xhosa friend caused quite a stir, because he is white Afrikaans.

13 minutes

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