Analysis of the language techniques and thematic - University of the ...

• Male-intiates are no longer trained to be warriors as was the case. Currently,
Basotho have established units of police force and military force that maintain law
and order and provide national security. Male-initiates are not summarily
absorbed into the army as one would expect, instead, the lucky ones manage to
get jobs in the mines. The ‘graduates’ from the initiation school are, in most
cases, not seen to be playing any major roles in the society that could be linked to
their initiation school.
• In the past, the mesuoe (teachers) used to be dignified persons with good morals.
Today, most of the teachers are people with low morality who do not receive
much respect from the society. What currently prevails is that, if anybody has
been to the initiation school he qualifies to be a teacher, self-esteem and social
attributes are no longer valued.
• In some areas, these schools have turned out to be a source of income for the
owners, which was not the case in the olden days. Most people who establish
these schools do it for commercial reasons. This is so because there are no
standardized regulations that control this type of school.
• The attire worn during the graduation is entirely of western culture including the
blanket which is now associated with the Basotho traditional attire.
• The mangae songs sung show western education and Christian influence.
Sometimes, the initiates recite English poems which are referred to as makotompi,
and they also sing modified Christian hymns.
• The bull slaughtered for the boys is no longer the one that is related to the cattle
that were captured at war. This is because there are no wars that Basotho fight
these days.
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