Umemulo: Coming of age ceremony.

 So today we'll be looking at one of the most important ceremonies done specifically for Zulu women (Umemulo). Umemulo is a ritual done for females at the age of 21 but it can also be done at any stage of a Zulu woman's life. This ritual involves slaughtering a cow and the Zulu dance called ukusina involving a spear and guests gifting the young female with money and blessings A woman's umemulo signifies that she is now ready for marriage. The young woman stays in the rondavel 7 days before the ceremony to practice songs with her friends which are izimpelesi.

As you can see in this picture that parts of the slaughtered cow were used for deeper traditional rituals. For example, during this ritual the father or older brother takes the cow bile and perform a number of customs with it these include sprinkling it on the girl's fingers, toes and top of her head. this is to connect the girl with her ancestors and pleads with them to keep her safe and help in finding her a prospective husband. 

Thereafter, the girl dresses up in traditional Zulu attire and is covered with a layer of fat taken from the cow's stomach. Previously, this fat was not allowed to any point break, as this signaled that the girl was no longer a virgin.   

Stay tuned for more!