Growing Up Sexually

MATABELE (Zimbabwe)

Index →Africa→ Zimbabwe → Matabele

Featured: Karanga, Matabele, Shona; ®Lemba, ®Atonga

Girls are “not so free in their childhood than boys” (Carnegie et al., 1894:p88)[1], but no statements are made on sexual life.

According to Jones (1921)[2], the ugutomba (girl’s initiation) includes songs “of the lewdest description”; the author subjoins one example but does not translate it[3]. Female informants assured that “there where no immoral practices in connection with the ceremony of ogutomba in the days of Mzilikazi”, or rather, it would be punished by the chief. Later, rules would be relaxed “and a good deal of immorality was connived at, if not actually permitted”. The intombi (initiated) girl is placed in the charge of “a woman, who is responsible for her moral behavior during a period of generally about two years, the intention being to preserve the purity of the girl until she is married”.

At least in a rural district of Matabeleland, traditional sex education no longer takes place (Vos, 1994)[4].

Janssen, D. F., Growing Up Sexually. VolumeI. World Reference Atlas. 0.2 ed. 2004. Berlin: Magnus Hirschfeld Archive for Sexology

Last revised: Sept 2004