Xhosa Initiation Ceremony

The Xhosa-speaking people of South Africa, who number about 5 million, have traditionally occupied the region between southern Natal (KwaZulu-Natal) and Eastern Cape. While many of the Xhosa people have been forced to leave their native areas in search of work in the cities, a core group have retained their culture-one rich in folklore and deeply rooted in ancestor worship. This group of women, in their richly beaded skirts and collars and large, round headdresses, is initiating a young girl into womanhood.

Tony Arruza/Corbis