'Female genital mutilation' 

Hello children of Azania

Today i came across something very odd that shook my blood and gave me chicken skin. I am one person who is very obsessed with reading, art and story telling. So toady as usual i was going through Ted Talks page(my favorite) to expand my knowledge and of course learn a lot. *must say, Ted Talks is thee best for every performing/ non performing artist and public speaking people in general, check it out*

I came across Khadija Gbla 's talk titled "Born a girl in the wrong place" here she describes a culture that was initiated in some countries of Africa. 'Female genital mutilation' (FGM) this is the deliberate mutilation of female genitalia. This is often the removal or cutting of the labia and clitoris. In simply words is a process of cutting of a girls private part to prevent pleasure and longing for sex.

Recent estimates indicate that around 90% of cases include clitoridectomy, excision or cases where girls’ genitals are “nicked” but no flesh removed (Type IV), and about 10% are infibulations (WHO).

FGM classified into four types:

 Type I: 

Also known as clitoridectomy, this type consists of partial or total removal of the clitoris and/or its prepuce.

Type II: 

Also known as excision, the clitoris and labia minora are partially or totally removed, with or without excision of the labia majora.

Type III: 

The most severe form, it is also known as infibulation or pharaonic type. The procedure consists of narrowing the vaginal orifice with creation of a covering seal by cutting and appositioning the labia minora and/or labia majora, with or without removal of the clitoris. The appositioning of the wound edges consists of stitching or holding the cut areas together for a certain period of time (for example, girls’ legs are bound together), to create the covering seal. A small opening is left for urine and menstrual blood to escape. An infibulation must be opened either through penetrative sexual intercourse or surgery.

Type IV: 

This type consists of all other procedures to the genitalia of women for non-medical purposes, such as pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterization.

Khadija grew up as a angry woman and felt her rights to freedom choice, pleasure and sexual rights were violated, which people from her village found it very normal but strange enough they don't really talk about this. She grew up knowing this is normal until the went to girls boding school. having to meet girls who don't happen to look like them down there and having to experience that fact that she does not feel the same way other girls do. to cut the long story short, this made her bitter and vicious. today she is the founder and directer of No FGM Australia, she is basically saying No to this act or culture and helping children who can not speak for themselves from their abusive parents.

This broke my heart and disturbed me i can say, i just didn't know such norms existed, i am totally against this act. it does not feel right. i am one person who believe and value cultures. i respect my culture and value other people's traditions as well, but sometimes i believe we have to break some norms that are harmful to others especially our children. i did a research about this FGM, here's my finding:

Immediate consequences of FGM

Include severe pain and bleeding, shock, difficulty in passing urine, infections, injury to nearby genital tissue and sometimes death. The procedure can result in death through severe bleeding leading to haemorrhagic shock, neurogenic shock as a result of pain and trauma, and overwhelming infection and septicaemia, according to Manfred Nowak, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Almost all women who have undergone FGM experience pain and bleeding as a consequence of the procedure. The event itself is traumatic as girls are held down during the procedure. Risk and complications increase with the type of FGM and are more severe and prevalent with infibulations.

“The pain inflicted by FGM does not stop with the initial procedure, but often continues as ongoing torture throughout a woman’s life”, says Manfred Nowak, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture.

In addition to the severe pain during and in the weeks following the cutting, women who have undergone FGM experience various long-term effects - physical, sexual and psychological.

Women may experience chronic pain, chronic pelvic infections, development of cysts, abscesses and genital ulcers, excessive scar tissue formation, infection of the reproductive system, decreased sexual enjoyment and psychological consequences, such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

Additional risks for complications from infibulations include urinary and menstrual problems, infertility, later surgery (defibulation and reinfibulation) and painful sexual intercourse. Sexual intercourse can only take place after opening the infibulation, through surgery or penetrative sexual intercourse. Consequently, sexual intercourse is frequently painful during the first weeks after sexual initiation and the male partner can also experience pain and complications.

When giving birth, the scar tissue might tear, or the opening needs to be cut to allow the baby to come out. After childbirth, women from some ethnic communities are often sown up again to make them “tight” for their husband (reinfibulation). Such cutting and restitching of a woman’s genitalia results in painful scar tissue.

A multi-country study by WHO in six African countries, showed that women who had undergone FGM, had significantly increased risks for adverse events during childbirth, and that genital mutilation in mothers has negative effects on their newborn babies. According to the study, an additional one to two babies per 100 deliveries die as a result of FGM.

Azania open view: Khanyi Mdluli
photo cred: Defender of Faith~Guardian of Truth - WordPress.com

The weekend recap in the sizzle city

Hello Azania

Richards Bay is definitely a place to be when it comes to fun, glitz and glamour. The Sizzle city hosted some of biggest events during the weekend.

The weekend was filled with fun in all over the city with major events which included the prestigious traditional meet classy; SATMA Awards, with this year’s theme ‘Imbokodo is our heritage’. This is no doubt one of the major event which contributed many businesses in the city, the event was attended by thousands of people from other provinces, who fully booked the city’s lodging businesses.

The SATMA’s were a two days event that commenced with a lady’s night out and comedy show on Friday evening at uMhlathuze Sport Complex. The event featured performances by some of the well-known comedians with the likes of Siyanda ‘Gonzo Maphumulo, Simpiwe Shembe, Tsoro, Amawele aseChestervile and Mondli Mzizi. 

On the same Friday night ZCBF Grounds was fully packed with music lovers at the uMhlathuze Music Festival featuring Kwesta, Dj Spectacula and Naves and Makokorosh ft Mzulu single launch at Ngwelezana. The weekend was closed with Pure Soul Experience featuring Vinny Da Vinc, Ralf Gum, Mlu from Metro FM, Tim White, Bubbles and Mtoffy.

 The weekend’s events in pictures

'Stop killing our sister'

Dear children of Azania

This breaks my heart but it must be said anyway.

I have noticed the recent stories these days on newspapers about boyfriends who kill their 'loved ones' for some odd or rather stupidity reasons. In the past two weeks i have read about 5 stories of these incidents. it breaks me apart to see this happening and seeing my sister's lives being taken just like that for what? insecurities?.

last week i read about a guy who shot his baby mama in front of their child, luckily enough she survived, again last week another one stabbed his girlfriend 11 times because he suspected that she had aborted his child. i notice there was no hype about these incidents in our social media, no one talked about it, but had it been someone with poor English or humiliated themselves ngabe itrend(a) even today.

The last one really makes me sick. this one ke a guy told his girlfriend to visit home from Durban (where she is working) to NoNgoma because he 'misses' her. when they met he stabbed and cut her throat. isizathu sikabhuti uthi ubebona ukuthi umama wengane yakhe usezomubalekela ngoba esethole umsebenzi eThekwini ngoba yena engasebenzi, how absurd is that?.

I

think we as women need platforms to address these issues, we cannot turn a blind eye. i challenge every sister to voice out their opinions about this and make a change let's for once create a trend that will not only educate but help millions as well.

#StopKillingOurSisters #SAneedsChrist #WomanStandUp #WeCare #OneLove #SisterLover

Open View : Khanyi Mdluli

To weave or not to weave
Dear people of Azania

I have ignored this for a while but eventually i had to write about it. so here it is.....
I've come to realize how hard it is being a woman in this country these days, many people think they've got an opinion on how we should look like. especially with our hair. everybody seem to have an opinion on our hair these days. taking about being all African and loving your natural hair.

It funny how brothers talk so much about something we barely permit them to touch. I've had many of them convincing but yet debatable conversations with them brothers, which is why i finally decided to write about this. Most of them are of course with the rest of the world judging sisters who weave their hair. Saying things like the sister is not proud of her heritage if she happens to be living under the lifestyle of wearing weaves *sighs* that's an opinion i get that but what i have come to realize is that most of these brothers dates or used to date women with weaves but now find women who are considered 'natural' more cheap and affordable.  It ironically how brothers don't judge the sisters who skin bleach and change their colour of original birth. they always find them beautiful  or attractive "Yellow Bones" right? but yet judge women who wear weaves *that's a story for another day*

What gets to my nerves mostly is them sisters who judge other sisters calming they are better then them because they choose to go natural or to braid their hair. these sisters claim they know and respect their traditions as if the other group does not. what i always find amusing is the fact that 98% of these sisters had been wearing weaves before this 'being natural' saga started trending. Now that they've decided to change their lifestyle suddenly this is wrong. (wow). On the other hand you find our 'celebrities sisters' who preach being natural wearing these afro weaves, the fact that it is afro and it almost look like your hair does not take away the fact that it a WEAVE.

one more thing we should notice is that the other group who wear weaves don't go around calling the other group names nor claiming they are pretty than them. *think about it*

I know this will cause lot of havoc and debates but it is my VIEW and as a permanent VOTING citizen i think it counts. PERSONALLY, i am a person of tradition, was raised with customs and traditions and i am very much cultural grounded. I love and respect my culture and traditions because i believe they made me the person that i am today. i can say that i am a mixture of both, i love being a Nubian princess that i am, but i also wear weaves from time to time and honestly looking at myself in the mirror with these two characters i always see me. i always say it is the person within you that counts you be all natural and all but if your deeds say other wise then you are a waste.

I believe i am always beautiful whether with my natural afro, wearing a doek or with weave all in all throughout these characters i am still me. the person who love and respect her heritage. I AM AN AFRICAN i value myself and my people I AM AFRICAN PRIDE, I AM A BLACK GIRL MAGIC, I AM A CHILD OF AZANIA, DAUGHTER OF THE SOIL

Azania open view
Khanyi Mdlui

Dear black sister

Don't torture yourself because of your stretch marks. This dignifies the woman in you. Your stretch marks are your African Pride. It is time to let go of that negative energy of hiding in a corner and trying to look good for someone else. This time it is all about you. You, owning up and standing for what makes you a woman. T

he moment you start accepting yourself and love you flawlessly everybody else will see the good in you and follow your foot steps.

Open view has been following a beautiful initiative on instagram called #LoveYourLines ❤ and was inspired to share

" The journey of selflove is treacherous one. it means embracing things you previously called ugly, even if it was yourself. It means saying no to people when things no longer serve higher purpose, even if they were your best friend. it means letting love and light guide the way instead of allowing society to dictate your life"  @spiritstock

remember your lines make you the woman that you are and they all tells a story. your lines show growth and maturity. #loveandRespectYourLines

...........You are beautiful with your lines

Azania Open View

Khanyi Mdluli

‘No matric dance till November’ demands the Department

The department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal has instructed schools to withhold Matric dance ceremonies in the province from September till November.

The department issued the letter titled ‘Suspension of matric dance ceremonies’ to all high schools in the province. It is stated that this will fight the constant downfall in matric pass rate, schools are directed to hold these ceremonies till the last exam paper in November 30. It is said that pupils spend too much time preparing for matric dance and forget about studying for exams.

However, opposing to this, some schools refuse to follow this order. Ladysmith High School is one of the schools who say the message came late as they have already made the preparations. The school principal Chisto Pieterson said their celebration is on the 30th of September which is the day of closing schools.

“It is impossible to cancel the ceremony because we have already booked the venue, we have paid some of the people how will render their services, the children have already bought their dress and all the preparations have been done, we do not argue with the department but it is impossible on our side.” Said Pieterson

On the other had the department does not back down on their order, the department says those who fail to obey these orders will face consequences. It was further stated that the schools are controlled and take others from the department the same goes with all the trips that each schools embark on.

The letter was signed by the head of department Advocate Bheki Masuku instructed school governing bodies to make sure that the last few days before exams are spent wisely and to make sure matric dance does not happen till the instructed date.

Open View: Khanyi Mdluli

photo cedit: www.georgeherald.com

African Pride

#2. Hunting in Africa

today we take a look at one of the most famous activities that was established in the early 1652's in most African countries, in the early ages hunting was done mainly for survival. 

Hunting 

Is the practice of killing or trapping any animal, or pursuing or tracking it with the intent of doing so. hunting wildlife or feral animal is most commonly done by humans for food.

hunting is still done in most countries in Africa including South Africa, in places like NoNgoma, KwaMaphumulo, Hluhluwe, KwaHlabisa and many more.

open view: Khanyi Mdluli

photo credits: www.africahunting.com

African Pride

September, Africa Month. this month Open View will share some of the best African pride and values. the purpose is to share the beauty of our continent, educate the newer generation about our values as Africans.

today we will focus on one of Africa's famous tradition, the one thing that people from other countries recognize us with. 

#1. RANDAVEL HOUSES

History of Rondaval Houses

The rondavel is usually round or oval in shape and is traditionally made with materials that can be locally found in raw form. Its walls are often constructed from stones. The mortar may consist of sand, soil, or combinations of these, mixed with cow dung. The floor of a "traditional" rondavel is finished with a dung mixture to make it hard and smooth. The main roofing elements of a rondavel are spars or poles taken from tree limbs, which have been harvested and cut to length. The roof covering is of thatch that is sewn to the poles with grass rope. The process of completing the thatch can take as little as one weekend.

Rondavels can be found in the countries of Southern Africa, including: South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana and others.

the hut is normally used to consult with ancestors, it is normally called KwaGogo where it is believed Amadlozi are. when there's a ritual it is the room where Impepho is burned and where the slaughtered meet sleeps for the night. 

even today randavel is respected in the who of Africa and taken as one of African Values.
THIS IS OUR PRIDE 
Azania Open View: Khanyi Mdluli

photo credit: wheresollyandbex.com.wordpress

The other day I had a very emotional and inspiring interview with a brain tumor cancer survivor Jean Ntuli 29. She's a strong and very open minded young female.

She is a mother of 2 beautiful children and a wife, she is the ex- employee at Bell in Richards Bay, she has accepted her illness and is dertemined that she is not difined by the circumstances she is currently in. she is a child of God and respect and values God.

she speaks freely about the pain she has been through and encorages others not to live in fear.

things like this that makes me realize how much we should be grateful for our lives, how strong other people are, how God can turn your life around and most importantly how he can tests your Faith in him

Khanyi Mdluli

South Africa the "DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY"

Good morning children Azania.

I don't know if it me or everybody feels this, to me it always feels wrong to proudly say GOODMORNING  knowing very well it is not a good morning at all, as we are still oppressed by not apartheid laws but our own government and their bias laws who claims to be democratic.

Maybe it is my lack of understanding on certain words used by our superiors in this country, words such as 'democratic' 'freedom' and 'equal' so I did some minor research.

Democracy:
A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives. It's further described as the belief in freedom and equality between people, or a system of government based on this belief, in which power is either held by elected representatives or directly by the people themselves.

Freedom:

the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants (they sure use this one a lot I discovered)

Equality:

the state of being equal, especially in status, rights, or opportunities, Is a state of affairs in which all people within a specific society or isolated group have the same status in certain respects, often including civil rights, freedom of speech, property rights, and equal access to social goods and services.

tried ignoring Oscar Pistorius's story and his 'sentencing' but it later got to me that this are kind of issues we shouldn't ignore. This country is going nowhere because of us 'ignorant citizens', I've observed and read most of the comments on this issue, others even come to say it is racism but how? because Judge Masipa is black I would rather refer it to as white privilege.

okay so let's analyze this, in this country for rob two men who robbed the SABC news reporter, were sentenced 15 years in prison, for killing a rhino you are sentenced 25 years in prison and  Killing a human being only 6 years in prison (if you are white) yet we claim we living in a democratic country we are free and equal. equal really?

Maybe it is my lack of understanding of these words but anyway. I am a 'born free'  so they call us but I still awaits to experience an equal and democratic country. a country where we will be equal and given same equal rights and be treated as the same.

#AZANIAOPENVIEW