Ulwaluko

 

UPDATE 30 January: if you have some time to spare, please read this article about the boys behind the photographs. An excruciating read, brilliantly reported by Mia Malan.

These selected photographs were taken in various health institutions in Pondoland during 2012 and 2013. They illustrate the magnitude of the problems faced by health care practitioners during the initiation seasons. After viewing some of the pictures you will understand what is meant by ‘male genital mutilation’.

A number of photographs were too graphic for publication, however many of the photographs below are still graphic. Please be warned.

Informed consent has been obtained for each clinical photograph shown. It should be noted that this consent may be withdrawn at any time; subjects can contact me on ulwaluko@gmail.com if they wish to do so. Every effort has been made to ensure anonymity and all metadata has been removed. Some photographs have been edited digitally to enhance colors and contrast.

Scroll to view photographs.

#2 Skin loss

#3 Infected (a)

#1 Infected

#4 Incomplete

#5 Muthi

#3 Infected (b)

#7 Incomplete

#8 Muthi

#6 Infected

#10 Infected

#11 Incomplete

#09 Infected

#13 Gangrene

#14 Infected

#12 Muthi

#16 Muthi

#17 Large wound

#15 Infected

#19 Incomplete

#20 Gangrene

#18 Epithelium loss

#22 Infected

#23 Epithelium loss

#21 Deformed

#25 Large wound

#26 Rotting

#24 Infected

#28 Skin loss

#29 Epithelium loss

#27 Death

#31 Skewed

#32 Skin loss

#30 Incomplete

#34 Incomplete

#35 Amputee

#33 Death

#37 Deformed

#38 Skin loss

#36 Infected

# 40 Infected

#41 Deformed

#39 Infected

#43 Amputee

#44 Gangrene (a)

#42 Epithelium loss

#44 Gangrene (c)

#44 Gangrene (d)

#44 Gangrene (b)

#45 Death

#46 Infected (a)

#44 Gangrene (e)

#47 Gangrene (a)

#47 Gangrene (b)

#46 Infected (b)

#47 Gangrene (d)

#48 Epithelium loss

#47 Gangrene (c)

#50 Large wound

#51 Infected

#49 Swollen glans

#52 Gangrene (b)

#52 Gangrene (c)

#52 Gangrene (a)

#53 Large wound (a)

#53 Large wound (b)

#52 Gangrene (d)

#55 Gangrene (a)

#55 Gangrene (b)

#54 Muthi

#56 Epithelium loss

#57 Large wound (a)

#55 Gangrene (c)

#58 Infected

#59 Torture

#57 Large wound (b)

#60 Incomplete (b)

#61 Epithelium loss

#60 Incomplete (a)

#63 Gangrene (a)

#63 Gangrene (b)

#62 Deformed

#64 Epithelium loss

#65 Nose pulling

#63 Gangrene (c)

#66 Deformed (b)

#67 Infected

#66 Deformed (a)

#69 Epithelium loss

#70 Infected

#68 Infected

#72 Deformed

#73 Amputee

#71 Epithelium loss

#75 Epithelium loss

#76 Large wound

#74 Epithelium loss

#78 Infected

#79 Epithelium loss

#77 Amputee

#81 Abuse

#82 Epithelium loss

#80 Amputee

#84 Skin loss

#85 Infected

#83 Epithelium loss

#87 Infected

#88 Infected

#86 Epithelium loss

#90 Abscess

#91 Epithelium loss

#89 Infected

#93 Muthi

#94 Gangrene (a)

#92 Infected

#94 Gangrene (c)

#95 Epithelium loss

#94 Gangrene (b)

#97 Gangrene (a)

#97 Gangrene (b)

#96 Infected

#97 Gangrene (d)

#97 Gangrene (e)

#97 Gangrene (c)

#99 Infected

#100 Epithelium loss

#98 Epithelium loss

#101 Gangrene (b)

#101 Gangrene (c)

#101 Gangrene (a)

#103 Skin loss

#104 Amputee

#102 Tissue loss

#105 Gangrene (b)

#105 Gangrene (c)

#105 Gangrene (a)

#106 Abscess

#107 Infected

#105 Gangrene (d)

#108 Gangrene (b)

#108 Gangrene (c)

#108 Gangrene (a)

#110 Large wound

#111 Infected

#109 Skin loss

#112 Gangrene (b)

#112 Gangrene (c)

#112 Gangrene (a)

#114 Infected

#115 Urethral injury

#113 Large wound

#117 Skin loss

#118 Infected

#116 Skin loss

#120 Infected

#121 Amputee

#119 Skin loss

#122 Gangrene (b)

#122 Gangrene (c)

#122 Gangrene (a)

#123 Skin loss

#124 Skin loss

#122 Gangrene (d)

#126 Epithelium loss

#127 Infected

#125 Epithelium loss

#129 Infected

#130 Gangrene

#128 Epithelium loss

#132 Epithelium loss

#133 Epithelium loss

#131 Infected

#134 Gangrene (b)

#134 Gangrene (c)

#134 Gangrene (a)

#136 Infected

#137 Infected

#135 Tissue loss

#139 Gangrene (a)

#139 Gangrene (b)

#138 Infected

#141 Skin loss

#142 Deformed

#140 Amputee

#143 Gangrene (b)

#144 Torture

#143 Gangrene (a)

#146 Amputee

#147 SPC

#145 Tissue loss

#149 Amputee

#150 Epithelium loss

#148 Skin loss

#152 Amputee

#153 Gangrene (a)

#151 Pressure sores

#154 Amputee

#155 Abuse

#153 Gangrene (b)

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