By Risco Lumamezi
TWO Virgin girls officially graduated their Sikenge ceremony recently, after two (2) months in a private room learning skills of marriage and discipline at Chefuzwe some 4 kilometres away the town of Katima Mulilo.
Despite strict measures of COVID -19, this could not deter them to practice their culture.
The ceremony is the first of its kind to happen at Chefuzwe, after decades of silence.
Sikenge, which literally means female initiation ceremony a cultural practice which is often practised among the Caprivian people who shares the same culture with the Lozi people, where a girl under the age of 14 years when reaching a puberty stage is obliged to undergo training conducted by elder women on how to handle a man in bed, discipline and responsibilities of marriage.
According to Ms.Elina Mabuku commonly known as Boma Kalaluka , a resident of Chefuzwe narrates that the Sikenge ceremony is part of culture and lessons used to be practised by women in the past, though the new generation are not taking it serious as part of culture which is not harmful.
“I kept my grand daughters in the private room for two months, teaching them discipline as we used to be hidden by our parents when were growing”. remembers Ms.Mabuku
She however, laments the fact that sikenge equips young girls to have discipline to their parents, people around them and in their marriage when they are ready to be married.
In her view, girl children of today they are just moving around streets without anything or a job to do , and they are just clubbing in bars.
“That’s why I kept them that everyone who wants to be like us as in the past should keep their children… I taught them to be discipline, responsible, to plough, health and fear the elders so that when they are at school they should know their aim”.
In her view, she is confident that the girls will be responsible women who will implement what they have learned.
Elina further elaborates that the word Mwalanjo means that the person has grown up, and is no longer a kid and has seen something that indicates that she is grown up or reached maturity stage.
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