Showers

In 2005, an outdoor shower about 2 meters tall with two showerheads was constructed in the middle of the site. The management expressed that the two shower taps are adequate for the number of initiates at the Langa site. Each tap is secured by a lock to prevent theft and misuse of the water. The showers are surrounded by an iron fence with vegetation growth to help allow the structure to blend into the environment, and to provide privacy to the initiates. Despite one of the showerheads being damaged, the shower is still functional. The gate to the fencing surrounding the showers has been stolen; Langa site personnel stated that the stolen gate would soon be replaced with a less desirable metal or plastic door.

Evidence of Vandalism on the Shower Structures at Langa

During the first week of initiation, initiates are forbidden to take showers. After the first week, initiates are allowed to shower. By the fourth week, when the process is complete, all clay that represents boyhood must be washed from the initiates’ body. According to the Langa management, the shower is an integral part of ensuring the health and cleanliness of initiates after the first week, and allows the initiates to wash the clay from their body, as is customary at the end of an initiation.