IMBELEKO
WHAT IS IMBELEKO?
This is a very sensitive subject since people have different concepts of it. Today we are not crushing anyone's religion or belief with this topic but looking at the background and the origin of iMbeleko
AmaXhosa are probably very familiar with word and some of them have some have been involved in a ceremony of imbeleko. It is said that there's some how a misunderstanding of the concept of imbeleko.
This is where the concept of imbeleko comes from- In the olden days when a woman was pregnant an was close to her due time, the family would slaughter a sheep then take the skin of the sheep and dry it. Then meat would be eaten by the family, now one would be invited to the help eat the meat.The skin would dry and when it is dry, the father of the unborn child would then wash the skin so that it becomes soft.
When the time has come for the child to be delivered, they would take the soft skin and wrap the new born child with. The skin would then be called iMbeleko. It was called that because the mother would use it to hold the child on her back with it, in Xhosa we call that "Ukubeleka", that is it is called iMbeleko.
This is how the mbeleko blanket was used for covering the child.
But today there is some kind of a mix-up of the name of this tradition and a ceremony done to welcome a child in the family which is called Ukwamkela. Where there's a ceremony done and people from the village and other extended family is invited to celebrate the child.
In nowadays, technology has made our lives easier than it was before. We no longer use the blanket called imbeleko but we but already made blankets for our children and also but brand new clothes for them to wear. Which is why the concepts is sort being misunderstood.
This bog wasn't meant to argue anyone's belief but look at the origin of long lost or misunderstood tradition. And I also hope you enjoyed it and learnt something from it about your culture.
Love you all, see you on the next upload
Very true..however due to urbanisation this traditional ritual isn't done for the purpose of ukubeleka anymore but to let the ancestors know of a new addition to the family. A long time ago it was done when a child is still a baby but now it can be done even when someone is old especially with boys they must do it before they go to the mountain
ReplyDeleteadd more flesh to the bones!!
ReplyDeleteis it a custom or it's a culture?
ReplyDeleteIt's a custom, a way that people used to do things in the olden days but it wasn't a must that they should do that. If a person had another way of covering or clothing his or her child could do that.
Deleteadd more flesh to the bones!!
ReplyDeletewell this blog of yours is quite interesting and educational its taught me a lot about a new culture and has great importance and impact on my life
ReplyDeleteyou must stress out that there were no clothing then
ReplyDelete@ Sazi you are so funny ... Even Adam and if had no clothes so it's good that we follow suite on what our ancestors also did but when sin cam enwe all had to cover our nakedness .
ReplyDeleteMy brother's son had imbeleko ceremony performed for him this December at his martenal side . Is that right ?y brother and his mom never got married thou I forgot to say ? What's ur input
ReplyDelete