On the first sign of menstruation the girl will inform one of her stepmothers, or one of the elder women of the kraal, of its occurrence. This person will tell the girl’s mother, who then tells the father. There is a barrier of reserve which forbids the direct approach of the parent by the child in matters of intimacy, especially in affairs in any way connected with sex. This behavior occurs repeatedly throughout Venda life. . . . Every Muvenda boy must, on reaching puberty, go through the vhutamba vhutuka ceremony. If he is not a member of a thondo school he must, when he becomes aware of his first nocturnal emission, inform one of the older boys of his village (never one of his brothers), who passes the information on to the mukhoma (the chief’s aide).2

1Swanton, J.R.n/an/an/an/a, "Social and Religious Beliefs and Usages of the Chickasaw Indians," Bur. Amer. Ethnol., Ann. Rep., 44: 183.

2 Stayt, H. A., The Bavenda, 106, 105 (Oxford University Press. By permission).