Sites

This is an initiation school that was utilized very recently as is evident by the artifacts on site. The area is characterised by a large open social area with a hearth in the centre. Burnt object including clay oxen and large tree trunks occur. An are, which was probably utilized as sleeping quarters, is evident to the west of the central social area. An activity area to the north of the central social area is characterised by miniature models depicting farming  activities and layouts. Most of the figurines depict oxen, motorcars and structures like pots. Our guide described the ritual with the oxen being there for the father of the initiant to come and collect the clay oxen made by the initiant, and deliver it to the initiants mother. She will keep them in safekeeping until the time arrives when this young man must negotiate lobola for his bride. The clay oxen the prove him being initiated and worthy of marriage. The initiation school is called mpatho and the site of the school is called empathweni. During the school the young men only wear loincloths, while living in shelters built with leaves and sticks. After the initiation school ends these are bunrt. Thes schools are divide into four age groups, which are given names. The recent names area ithlari,Hyati, Rula, Gua, Matspa, Amatula, Duba and Ndlovu. According to our two guides Mr Johannes and pat Sithole, this area was the position of their grandfathers kraal dates the turn of the century, this we concluded from the ages of Mr Sithole who was born in 1939. The fist of his six siblings was born in 1924, when his father was twenty years old. His grandfather was twenty with the birth of Mr Sithole father. This places the kraal being established around 1900. No stonewalling was found on site however, Mr Sithole described the site having had stonewalling.