What is lobola in the Xhosa culture?
Lobola (“bridal price”) The lobola process is when the groom-to-be along with his family pay a certain amount of money to the bride’s family in order to obtain the right to marry their daughter. Traditionally lobola is amounted to about 6 cattle – depending on the bride’s family’s request.
Do Xhosa people pay lobola?
The groom has to either agree to pay the set lobola price, or ask his uncles to negotiate a lower price. In Xhosa culture, the groom is however not allowed to argue the lobola price, as it shows that he does not value his bride.
What happens during a Xhosa wedding?
Marriage Negotiations Relatives accompany a bride to the groom’s home for the wedding ceremony. The transfer of cattle ‘ikazi’ from the bridegroom’s group to the bride’s group served both to seal the marriage and compensate the bride’s father for the loss of his daughter’s labour in his homestead.
What happens after lobola is paid?
Lobola cannot be paid in full in one go, the groom’s delegation will need to come again after the first negotiations to finish paying for their bride to be. Once the Lobola has been paid in full then the next step follows which is called Izibizo, which can happen on the day when lobola negotiations are concluded.
What is a Xhosa wedding called?
The term is called ‘Ukuthwala’. This is where a groom will choose a partner to marry and once the lucky person is chosen, the groom will inform his family and approach the bride’s family.
What are Xhosa traditions?
In Xhosa tradition, the ancestors act as intermediaries between the living and God; they are honoured in rituals in order to bring good fortune. Dreams play an important role in divination and contact with ancestors. Traditional religious practice features rituals, initiations, and feasts.
What type of marriage is lobola?
What is lobolo? Lobolo, also known as bogadi, bohali, lumalo or ikhasi, is when a man gives a gift to his girlfriend’s family when he wants to marry her in respect of custom. The giving of lobolo is agreed to between the two families of the couple (the future husband and wife).
Are you married if lobola is paid?
You are NOT married if only lobola was paid! Attorney Tebello Motshwane, founder of Sister in Law, says there are three types of marriages recognised by the South African law: Civil union, governed by the Civil Union Act 17 of 2006. This allows for same sex marriages.
What is the right amount for lobola in Xhosa culture?
In the Xhosa culture, failure to pay what has been asked for could lead to the bride’s family practising ‘theleka’: withholding of a future bride by her father from her boyfriend to compel him to pay what is owed. There is no right amount for Lobola. Amounts are determined by the bride’s family after intense negotiation.
Why is the Xhosa culture so interesting?
You can now see that the Xhosa are interesting people and among the few cultures that have managed to thrive despite westernization. Famous personalities like Nelson Mandela was from the Xhosa people and was often spotted adorning Xhosa traditional clothing, showing pride in his culture.
What is the significance of lobola in South Africa?
Lobola is part of the requirements involved in getting married in South Africa. While the practice has been for long, from what has been said so far, its significance is worth continuing. However, seeing it as a means of extorting others is what prospective husbands now frown at.
What are the characteristics of Xhosa homestead?
Historically, homesteads ‘imizi’ of the Xhosa Culture tended to be scattered over the rural landscape and were situated on ridges to facilitate drainage and military defence. Dwellings consisted of a circular frame of poles and saplings, which were bent and bound in the shape of a beehive and thatched from top to bottom with grass.