Inside ‘Mgidi Moms’: Where tradition, love and celebration meet

A cultural extravagance is one way to describe Mzansi Magic’s new coming-of-age show,Mgidi Moms. A first-of-its-kind, the original reality series explores the formative journey of Xhosa boys as they transition into manhood through initiation, seen through the eyes of the mothers orzibazanawho support them every step of the way. Similar to the Jewish Bar or Bat Mitzvah, the Hispanic Quinceañera and the American Sweet 16, Mgidi is a Xhosa homecoming celebration.

It honours the return of young men who have completedulwaluko, the traditional rite of passageinto manhood. Like these other cultural milestones, it is a joyful event that brings together family and community through music, dancing and feasting, as the initiates — now known asamakrwala— are welcomed back as adults. “We need to go back to celebrating and being happy in the midst of everything that’s going on,” said Mbalenhle Ntuli, the commissioning editor for unscripted content at Mzansi Magic.

Speaking on the sidelines of the show’s launch at MultiChoice in Johannesburg last week, Ntuli said that when she first experienced the cultural event, she realised it was something the country needed. “We can’t keep watching all the bad news and ignore something like this. So, for us as a channel, it was important to give that platform, to say: ‘Here’s something beautiful for everyone to see and experience’.” During the show’s initial call-to-action trailer late last year, some viewers assumed it would reveal sacred practices of the Xhosa initiation processes.

[paywall]

While the show offers some educational elements on Xhosa culture, it is not an exposé of the rituals’ intricacies, as portrayed in the South African drama filmInxeba:The Woundfor instance. Mgidi Momsis centred on the love between mother and son. In each episode we follow the emotional journey of mothers who feel anxious and fearful about their sons undergoing a significant traditional rite of passage.

Viewers not only witness the unconditional love but also the great lengths mothers go to in preparing for their sons’ homecoming. For instance, in one episode a mother budgets more than R500 000 for the Mgidi event. This includes R100k worth of meat entailing two cows, 20 sheep and a couple of pigs for good measure.

Unlike the channel’s previous shows likeOur Perfect WeddingorDate My Family, the amounts of money spent were not overtly beamed on the screen. Ntuli said the choice to highlight the financial expenditure was not intended to emphasise the amount of money but rather to showcase the commitment and dedication a parent makes towards their child’s celebration. The series showcases a diverse range of mothers. Some go all out to mark the occasion with elaborate celebrations, while others choose a more traditional and understated approach.

[/paywall]