I absolutely love it when you, my readers, inquire, engage and assist in the co-construction of knowledge in the African indigenous knowledge space.
A few days ago, a woman whose mind I have absolutely adored for years, engaged me on a publication I wrote about a year ago. In the publication I shared my reflections from my first umnombo ceremony held at my maternal grandmother’s home in the Lower Ngqwara Village of Mqanduli in the Eastern Cape.
The woman, Abongile James, expressed my overall tone as cutesy and indicative of the fact that it was indeed my first umnombo ceremony. James expressed her longing for a continuation for the conversation on umnombo – particularly some of the more contentious and uncomfortable truths about paternity, family history and birthright.
For context, umnombo has to do with lineage and the tracing of one’s origins – which directly points to the “positionality” of individuals in the family as well as the roles and responsibilities of that said positionality.
By positionality, I mean where one is located within their family in relation to others – for example birth order and gender affect the role that one fulfils in the lives of their siblings children. What is required from a Makazi (mother’s sister) and Dadobawo (father’s sister) are different culturally and traditionally.
Umnombo is about the origins, but it is also about accounting for the different roles and responsibilities of family members, especially when it comes to the “governing” of the family.
I exchanged my thoughts with James around how I think identity functions in the African home, highlighting that one acquires their identity or different levels to it by performing or acting in accordance with what is needed from them at any given space or time. I made the example of the acquisition of the identity of manhood by undergoing the rites associated with it, especially among the Xhosa people. My emphasis on identity is linked to umnombo because of the idea that positionality gives birth to a plethora of identities that are possible for a person in their family.
James raised two valid points about some realities and truths potentially unearthed by umnombo, some of which cause animosity and a sense of disruption within families. These points are linked to identity, birthright and responsibility – all within the context of the purposes and consequences of umnombo. First, she highlighted the non-linearity of family relations, and second the hinderance of ill flexibility of family roles especially when backed up by umnombo.
Non-linear origins
James raised the idea of adoption in traditional settings. “Sometimes, there is a child known to all children of this family as a non-biological child who was ‘adopted’ by granny or grandpa. Raised with their siblings, they lament their position as a responsible member of the family who takes care of the homestead and elders- long after the biological children of the home migrate to cities seeking better opportunities. This child knows the rites of passage and all traditions associated with the family and as such the elders appoint him as their rightful heir – that is usually a conflict source among the biological children”.
James expounded on the scenario by adding the nonchalance of biological children when it comes to the preservation rights and the family home. In “normal” circumstances – the home and its leadership and preservation are left for biological children – especially first-born sons.
Often a time, matters like this end up within the justice systems with families forming factions being torn apart for years by the issue of biology, rightful inheritance and birthright. Whereas all of this is avoidable if each member of the family plays a role towards the preservation of the family and elders while they are alive.
Ill-flexibility of umnombo
James prefaced this by emphasising the fact that people are returning to their origins by seeking out knowledge of their ancestors in terms of rites of passage, culture and tradition. What we see happening now is that families are re-shaping such that they acknowledge their ancient lineage and the roles and responsibilities of each family member. They are re-imagining the significance of knowing specific roles such as inhlabi (the custodian of the family spear for ritualistic sacrifice of animals). Knowing how those roles are formed and passed along the lineage.
James uttered that sometimes there still can be problems that arise when we follow umnombo strictly, without room for concession based on circumstance. “For example, if we have inhlabi who is a young boy, and he is the rightful one as we trace it with umnombo, he may not yet understand the significance of his role- often choosing to disappear with friends while a ceremony happens. But he doesn't understand that nothing can happen without inhlabi who is vigilant and present. The credibility of the whole ceremony can be thrown soley based off his behavior”.
This specific scenario stayed with me as I imagined the success of my own ceremony being in the hands of a young boy. I imagined that for him to wield that spear he would have to have journeyed into manhood already. That still wouldn't be enough though... what would my family do?
James’ scenarios forced me to think about how we can get around some of these “rules”. It is important that we follow umnombo and prioritize it, however as families we must be open to the idea that some problems can arise, and we must have concessions for those problems. On the other hand, I feel compelled to encourage city boys and girls to care a little more about their families as well as the preservation of their ancestral homes.
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