The traditional Xhosa male initiation rite in South Africa is called ulwaluko.
Ulwaluko is a Xhosa initiation practice through which boys are traditionally initiated into manhood. It includes seclusion, teaching, ritual activities, and circumcision performed within a broader cultural process. The initiate is often called an initiand during the period of transition.
The rite is associated especially with Xhosa communities in South Africa, although related initiation customs exist among other southern African peoples. Its meaning involves identity, social responsibility, discipline, and membership in the adult community.
Ulwaluko has also been the subject of serious public-health and human-rights concerns. Unsafe circumcision practices and inadequate medical care have caused injuries and deaths, leading to calls for regulation and safer initiation schools. These modern concerns do not erase the ceremony’s cultural significance, but they are essential context when describing it.