Honorable Mention / 2019 / Portraiture / Culture

• Photographer
  Carlos Tellez, Mexico
• Website
  http://carlostellez.com
• Instagram
  https://www.instagram.com/carlostellezphoto/

I took this portrait of a boy during the rite of initiation on my trip to the province of eastern cape, South Africa.

The traditional initiation in South Africa is an ancient initiation rite practised in the Xhosa people. The ritual is traditionally intended to prepare young males for the responsibilities of manhood.

During the ritual process the traditional healer surgically removes the foreskin. After the cut is made the healer says "You are a man!" The initiate shouts in reply "I am a man!"