young man is selected to roast a piece of meat called ‘isiphika’. Once the meat is roasted, a sharpened stick is used to pick it up and the meat is given to the initiate, who is not allowed to eat it using her hands. Her assistants are not allowed to eat it with their hands. Umtshato After umngenandlini, on the fourth day or any even numbered day after the seclusion of the initiate, a ceremony that simulates a marriage ceremony is held. The reason why umtshato must be held on an even numbered day is that the even number is symbolic of two families in a marriage union. This ritual is marked by the slaughtering of an ox, the right shoulder of the ox, called umshwamo, is placed into the chosen special hut from the girl's homestead for the night. The following day, one of amakhankatha cooks the meat and the meat is eaten using the same stick that was used when eating the goat meat from unngenandlini. This ritual is a three-day celebration where the public is witness to the girl's new role as woman. Ukutsiba Intaba This is an event marked by the disposal of the initiate's sanitary towels or whatever she used during her period. It is after the disposal that the girl and her amakhankatha must burn the stick that they have been using to eat the meat. The initiate and her assistants look for a place to burn the stick. Then one of her assistants ties the stick to the bunch of grass they have chosen to use as tinder and burns it. After the fire, the initiate and her assistants disperse the ashes everywhere. This is symbolic of the ending of the initiate's childhood stage and the beginning of her journey into womanhood. After dispersing of the ashes, the girls run home. However, the initiate must run fast and be ahead of her assistants because if they catch up to her, she will have to stay in the hut for an extended period. Umngqungqo Before the end of the girl's seclusion, a party is thrown for all the women in the village. This event is referred to as umngqungqo. Women are clad in bright-coloured clothing and beads during this event. In the morning after the last day of the party, the initiate goes to the river to wash the white ochre and it is