Praising the Ancestors
Ceremonies of South Africa
At their coming-out ceremonies, South Sotho initiates recite the praises of their ancestors, highlighting the continuity between the past and the present. Some become openly emotional when they pay homage to their forebears.
The staff or koto carried by South Sotho initiates on their return to their communities serves as a visual link to their ancestors. Staffs like these are often passed down from one generation to the next.
By
Professor Sandra Klopper
