Ukugcaba isiko olwenziwa abantu ngoba bekholelwa ukuthi bakwazi ukubonakala kalula ukuthi bavela kusiphi isibongo. Labo abakholelwa ekugcabeni bagcaba ngezindlela ezingafani. Ukugcaba isiko elenziwa ngabesibongo njengabakwaZuma, abakwaZondi, abakwaDlamini kanye nezinye. Kusuke kade okhokho bakhona begcaba, okuthi uma lingasenziwa likhaleleke.
Kuyaye kuthi uma ingane isikhalela lelisiko ihlala ngokugula yenze nezinto ezixakayo. Ngaphambi kokuthi ingane iyogcatshwa kuqalwa ngokubikelwa amadlozi ngokuthi kushiswe impepho. Ingane idonswa ngengalo wumuntu omdala ekhaya ayoyifaka esibayeni lapho izogcatshelwa khona okunguye oyigcabayo. Uma isigcatshiwe ingane igcotshwa ibomvu emzimbeni ukuze izingcabo zingabhibhi zibe izilonda. Isiko uma lingenziwanga enganeni selikhaleleka kuvamise ukuthi ingane ibe namehlo akhala izinyembezi kungonakele lutho, abadala ke abaziyo baye babone ukuthi lamehlo abika okuthile akudingeki nokuthi ize iye kudokotela.
Uma isiko likhaleleke ingane isikhulile, kuhlatshwa imbuzi kubikwe emsamo ngempepho bese kuthathwa inyongo yembuzi ihlanganiswe nebomvu ezoligcoba. Kwenzelwa ukuthi izingcabo zisheshe ziphole zingaqumbi. Izibongo ezigcabayo, ezinye zazo zikwenza lokho ngenhloso yokuhlobisa, ukukhipha igazi ukuze ingane ithandeke, abanye balandela isiko lakoninalume. Uma ke ingane izogcatshwa kuwusiko ukuthi kugaywe utshwala besintu. Kuyenzeka ingane ingabi eyakulowomuzi kodwa unina wayo aqambe amanga ngoba esaba ihlazo lokuthi ubengaziphethe kahle, kuthi ngesikhathi ingane sekufanele igcatshwe igule icishe ife. Uma ke ingane isigcatshiwe iyathathwa iyiswe endlini ingagqoki kuze kome ibomvu. Ingane ayigezwa kuze kuhwamuke izingcabo ngoba uma zingenwe amanzi ziyabhibha, ingane iye isulwe nje kuphela.
English Summary – Traditional Incisions
Some people of certain families make incisions in skin to symbolise the clan they belong to. These incisions differ depending on the preference of each clan. Some believe that if you don’t do incisions you get sick but others do them to be recognised by other people of their clan names. Some surnames that do incisions on their faces are the Dlamini, Zondi, Zuma clans etc. Incisions are done by an elder of the family. It is mostly done in the kraal and after that red soil is smeared all over the body in order for the incisions to heal quickly. It is mostly done while a person is still young and the family need to burn incense to communicate with ancestors what they are going to do. But there are cases where someone will have to do incision when they are old, in this case a goat is slaughtered, the burning of the incense is used to communicate with ancestors and instead of using red soil only they mix it with the goat bile and smear it all over the body. Sorghum beer is part of this ritual.
Written By: Zanele
Source: Ilanga LangeSonto