Family Bond Paper™

Men, think you're having a hellish week? From an African tribe in the Thonga of southern Africa, there is a cultural tradition that has been adopted by men and college societies and religious leaders all over the world--in one behavior or another: aka Hell Week.      When a boy is somewhere between 10 and 11 years of age, he is sent by his parents to "circumcision school", which is held every four or five years.  In company with his age-mates he undergoes severe hazing by the adult males of the society.  The initiation begins when each boy runs the gauntlet between two rows of men who beat him with clubs. At the end of this experience, he is stripped of his clothes and his hair is cut.  He is next met by a man covered with lion manes and is seated upon a stone facing this "lion man." Someone then strikes him from behind and when he turns his head to see who has struck him his foreskin is seized and in two movements is cut off by the "lion man." Aft...