By Siyabonga Kalipa 
Jul 17, 2021
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Cape Town – The traditional way of doing things went out the window with Covid-19 lockdowns and people have had to find alternatives to almost everything, including celebrations.
Churches can no longer operate at full capacity for weddings, funerals and other celebrations. The restriction on the number of people that can attend gave rise to drive-through celebrations.
From drive-through baby showers, wakes and now even a “drive-thru” uMgidi. In Xhosa culture, when a boy comes back from initiation school there are celebrations held by the family, called uMgidi. It is usually a huge celebration where extended families, neighbours and other community members are there to celebrate a boy going into manhood.
Pictures and videos of a drive-thru uMgidi which took place in the Eastern Cape were posted on social media this week, with many sharing their thoughts on a modern twist on an old tradition. While some saw it as a beautiful thing, others were against it.
Bukeka Nodada, who hosted a drive-thru uMgidi earlier this month for her son, said because of the regulations, they could not host the ordinary celebrations and so they came up with the drive-thru.
Nodada said they wanted to postpone the celebration until December but since they do not know when the lockdown would be over they opted for the drive-thru.
“The celebrations are meant to be lasting memories for a boy coming from the bush, so we decided to have this so he can celebrate and make memories he will never forget,” she said.
She said it was a huge success and even the costs were less than the ordinary uMgidi. They were able to save money by not having to cater alcohol, among other things, as it remains banned under level 4 of the lockdown restrictions.
Events planner from Gugulethu, Nomyezo Galo started her business during lockdown last year.
“A lot of places closed during lockdown but people still wanted to celebrate so I came up with an idea to start organising drive-thrus for events,” she said.
She said at the moment she organises drive-thru baby showers, and memorial services.
Galo explained that in a drive-thru baby shower, people drop off their gifts, grab a plate and leave.
She said she has not yet organised a drive-thru uMgidi but if the opportunity arises, she will take it.
“I understand why parents would opt for a drive-thru uMgidi because when there was uMgidi before lockdown they would give presents to the new man, knowing that they also have a son who will go through the same passage and that those presents will come back when they have their own uMgidi,” she said.
A traditional surgeon from Somagwaza Institute, Sikelela Zokufa, said the drive-thru uMgidi is not a Xhosa tradition.
He said uMgidi is a celebration of a boy coming back from the initiation school as a man.
“He is supposed to be taught about the path he is embarking on which is manhood and about his tradition and the drive-thru doesn’t have any of that,” he said.
Zokufa said he knows things are changing with the times but he does not encourage any family to have a drive-thru.
“I would advise that parents wait until lockdown is over so they can have a proper uMgidi,” said Zokufa.
Weekend Argus