The Institution of Marriage Among the Zulu Ethnic Community of South Africa - Essay Example

of the of the of the The of Marriage among the Zulu Ethnic Community of South Africa This work discusses the prevailing social institution of marriage among the Zulu Ethnic Community of South Africa. In this context, the various customs followed by the parties to a marriage have been described at length. The Zulus maintain very high moral standards, and the majority of the Zulu maidens are virgins at the time of their marriage. Zulus are one of the major ethnic communities of the Natal province of South Africa. The redoubtable Shaka Zulu had consolidated the various tribes and formed the Zulu empire, which fought against the iniquitous colonial powers. He is widely credited with transforming the Zulu tribe from a small clan into of a nation of proud and honorable warriors. The Zulu tribe is a patriarchal community, wherein polygamy is practiced. The wives of a Zulu conform to a strict seniority system. The wife that gives birth to the heir of her husband is termed the great wife, and she is deemed to be the senior most amongst the wives (South Africa: Information on Zulu customs regarding vendettas and feuds). Marriage denotes adulthood amongst the Zulus. Furthermore, a married person enjoys several more advantages, in comparison to an unmarried person. Therefore, Zulu youth express a keen desire to collect the necessary quantity of wealth, in order to procure the required goods for matrimony. It was the practice among the Zulus to measure wealth in cattle. (An African Valentine: The Bead Code of the Zulus). Thus, only a man with sufficient head of cattle was in a position to enter wedlock. In general, Zulu men marry late in life. This was because they had to serve as warriors for a number of years. Thus the wives are usually younger than their husbands. A marriage is arranged between villages, as a means of ensuring peace between diverse families. On occasion a couple may strongly express their desire to marry each other, and as a consequence, refuse to enter into matrimony with some other person (Zulu). Men are allowed to marry the widows of their brothers. This custom is known as the levirate, and under this system widows are compelled to marry the brothers of their deceased husband. Another custom is that of ghost marriage, in accordance with which women are required to marry the name of a deceased relative. The Zulus practice their religious rites with considerable commitment (South Africa: Information on Zulu customs regarding vendettas and feuds). These practices are based on ancestor worship, belief in a divine creator, warlocks, witches and sorcerers. The king is responsible for conducting the rituals, felt to be necessary, for producing rain, before wars and times of calamities, such as famines and droughts. He is also required to conduct the prescribed rites for the wellbeing of the nation and while planting crops (South Africa: Information on Zulu customs regarding vendettas and feuds) Zulu marriages are characterized by the cattle gifted to the bride’s family by the bridegroom’s family. It is also distinguished by the land and cattle that the husband gives his wife as presents. Despite, the fact that a wife cannot possess cattle; she can retain cattle in trust, as inheritance from her husband, on behalf of her sons. The most powerful family bond in the Zulus is that which exists between a brother and a sister (Zulu). Accordingly, a male has to defer his marriage, until such time as all his sisters get married. The agreed upon bride price is paid in installments. The Zulus are a traditional society, with very strict and rigid notions regarding morality and chastity. Thus, a virginity test is conducted, prior to the wedding ceremony. This latter joyous occasion, is usually conducted, when the moon shines, in all its splendor. It is the firm belief of the Zulus that a marriage conducted, while the moon shines brightly, averts ill luck. In order, to prevent unhappiness, the parents of the bride are precluded from attending the wedding ceremony (An African Valentine: The Bead Code of the Zulus). The first part of the lobola, consists of cattle or the monetary equivalent thereof. This is termed as the Nkomo. After that the installment, which is called the Amalobola is to be paid. This is a cow, which has to be presented to the mother of the bride, as a measure of gratitude to her for rearing the bride. That is why the cow is called the mother’s cow. Thereafter, items of clothing and shoes have to be given to the parents of the bride. This is termed as the Imphala. After having completed the first component of the lobola or after having paid the lobola in full; the marriage between the bride and bridegroom is deemed to have been completed. Thereupon, this couple can venture upon a church wedding, if they so desire (A Traditional Zulu Marriage). Marriage occupies a very important place in Zulu society. The process of courtship leading to marriage is not only subtle, but also intricate. It is up to the maiden to initiate the vital first step, in this process. She does this by conveying an embellishment, comprised of colored beads, through the good offices of a close and trusted companion (An African Valentine: The Bead Code of the Zulus). A meeting is held, prior to a Zulu marriage. In this meeting, the family members of the bride and the bridegroom meet; and the Idombo, who is an elected elder, represents the bridegroom, during the negotiations. This meeting takes place at the residence of the bride, and it not attended by the bridegroom. This meeting is a crucial stage in the marriage, as the intentions and wishes of the families involved, are clearly expressed. The family of the bride informs its wishes and requirements to the Idombo; who in turn, conveys them to the family of the bridegroom (A Traditional Zulu Marriage). The bride’s dowry consists of certain gifts that are presented by the bridegroom’s family to the bride’s family. These gifts assume the form of a combination of several valuable items. In general, the family members of the bride will specify the items to be given as dowry. Money is the first item to be given, and its is termed as ukangaziwe or now you know me. The bride’s father or uncle decides the amount of money to be given under this category of gifts. It has to be given at the time of the first meeting. The offer of such money constitutes the formal introduction of the bridegroom, to the bride’s family (A Traditional Zulu Marriage). It is essential for the Idombo, to have sufficient wealth with him, otherwise the bride’s family will not accept him, and this would result in the discontinuance of the meeting. After the preliminary introductions, the bride’s family will present a list of items to be given under lobola, to the Idombo. These items can be presented all at once or in installments. It is the usual practice to pay in part, and continue with these payments. Some families manage to completely redeem themselves, while other families fail to repay this debt (A Traditional Zulu Marriage). The procedure entailed in Zulu marriages is not only long but also time consuming. The various stages involved are the qoma, in which the girl declares her intention to marry a particular boy. This leads to a formal engagement or ukucela, whose negotiations are conducted by either the young man’s father or representative. After this the lobola stage is entered (Harrison). This stage comprises of several formal visits and the exchange of gifts between the families of the boy and girl. The amount to be paid as bride wealth is determined at this stage, and it is generally a dozen head of cattle. The motive behind the lobola is the acquisition of the wife’s reproductive abilities by the family into which she marries. Therefore, the lobola is accompanied by a number of rituals that seek to ensure the bride’s fertility. These rituals have to be conducted by the bride’s father (Harrison). Beads of different colors are employed to indicate a variety of things. For instance, they are utilized to indicate marital status and to convey messages. It falls to the lot of the older female children, in a family, to teach their younger female siblings, bead work and the underlying meaning of the different colors and symbols used. These beads adorn a female’s head or neck. What these colors and symbols designate is learned from female relatives, by the men folk (An African Valentine: The Bead Code of the Zulus). A correct interpretation of these beads enables the observer to ascertain the marital status, number of offspring and number of unmarried sisters, of the female who adorns herself with such beads. The symbols used are based on triangular shaped arrangements of colored beads, and these colors are limited to seven. The vertices of the triangle connote the mother, father and child. An inverted triangle denoted an unmarried person, whilst a normal triangle represents a girl who is yet to be married. Moreover, two triangles that meet vertically at their vertices represent a married man; whereas two triangles that are joined at their base denote a married woman (An African Valentine: The Bead Code of the Zulus). These beads are black, blue, yellow, green, pink, red and white in color. These colors have a positive as well as negative implication; with the exception of white, which has just a positive meaning of purity and spiritual love. The color blue denoted fidelity, and in combination with white and black, signifies marriage (An African Valentine: The Bead Code of the Zulus). The color combination of the beads indicates to the youth who finds favor with her, the intensity of her interest towards his advances. When these moves acquire sufficient seriousness, the boy’s parents will approach the girl’s parents, and place a formal matrimonial proposal. Thereafter, if the girl’s parents are agreeable to the alliance, the lobola or negotiations relating to bride price will begin. The conclusion of these negotiations culminates in formal engagement (An African Valentine: The Bead Code of the Zulus). . In South Africa, the white bridal dress plays a very important role in rural and tribal marriage ceremonies. This trend has developed, due to the influence of Christianity. Young tribal women prefer to don themselves in this apparel at their marriage. Many young women are desirous of undergoing state sanctioned weddings; on account of the stronger legal rights, involved in such weddings. During the period of apartheid, the white government had refused to recognize marriages performed according to the local traditions (Daley). The traditional marriages were governed by tribal law; which render women the wards of their husbands. Thus, married women could not own property, and a divorced woman could not claim her assets or the assets of her husband. Men were permitted to marry other women, without having to obtain the consent of their existing wives (Daley). The apartheid government was merely seized with promoting the rights of whites and catering to their needs. This apartheid regime, accorded recognition to marriages, wherein the couple had procured a license and which had been conducted by a person authorized by the state. However, after the apartheid regime had been disbanded, the government enacted a law to recognize tribal marriages. This welcome development transpired in the year 1998 (Daley). The new Constitution provided equal rights to women, and allowed them to own property. It also empowered divorced women to claim half of the marital assets. These rights are similar to rights available in state – sanctioned marriages. A husband, under the provisions of tribal law, permitted to have more than one wife. However, the consent of the first wife is compulsory for such plural marriages. Moreover, there has to be formal inventory of property, so that the claim of the first wife is adequately protected (Daley). Despite the fact that women’s rights activists termed the legislation relating to tribal marriages, as being a compromise; they were ready to acknowledge that such compromise was inevitable. This was due to the fact that a vast number of women were involved in polygamous marriages. Consequently, the annulment of polygamous marriages would have caused more harm than good. In addition, there is the real danger that a large number of men would refuse to marry, if polygamy were to be banned (Daley). The Zulu homestead was self – sufficient, in most of the cases. Responsibilities were apportioned on the basis of gender and age. Men had to protect the homestead, cattle, manufacture weapons and bear these weapons. They also had to perform duties, such as maintaining the farm, constructing homes. Women were responsible for domestic duties; and they also had to cultivate crops, on the land near their household (U.S. Library of Congress ). Although Zulu people practice polygamous marriages, monogamous marriages have become common. Among the KwaZulu-Natal tribes, polygamy is still in vogue. Subsequent, to marriage, the wife takes up residence at her husband’s place of dwelling. A wife is addressed by the surname of husband, after marriage. This is the custom, even though, she is addressed by her father’s surname, in day to day communications (Sithole). Children are held to belong to their father’s linage. As the Zulu’s attach considerable significance and value to marriage, the task of rescinding marriage presents substantial difficulty. A typical Zulu homestead consists of husband, wife or wives and children. In KwaZulu-Natal groups, it has become commonplace for children to be born out of wedlock. Single mothers, usually reside with their maternal relatives; and their children derive matrilineal identity, because no bride wealth had been procured from the patrilineal group (Sithole). In the 1990s, there were nearly 8 million people, who considered themselves to be members of the Zulu tribe. As of the 18th century, the Zulu empire had expanded by including several Nguni speaking tribal communities, located to the north of the Tugela River. The Zulu families were polygynous, and also included other individuals that were connected due to their social obligations to that family (U.S. Library of Congress ). Thus the institution of marriage occupies a very important place in the culture of the Zulus of South Africa. The different colored beads worn by the Zulus convey detailed information regarding them. Morality is accorded considerable significance among the Zulus. Despite being relegated to the background and despite being treated as third class citizens, by the Apartheid regime; the Zulus adhered to their culture, and this has stood them in good stead. Works Cited A Traditional Zulu Marriage. 23 November 2009 . An African Valentine: The Bead Code of the Zulus. 23 November 2009 . Daley, Suzanne. In South Africas Varied Rites, Equal Rights. 5 January 1999. 23 November 2009 . Harrison, Abigail. "A Context of “Non-Marriage”: Non-marital Unions in the Transition to Adulthood in South Africa." 17 April 2007. Population Studies and Training Center. Brown University. 23 November 2009 . Sithole, Mpilo. "Zulu." 2002. Encyclopedia of World Cultures Supplement. 23 November 2009 . "South Africa: Information on Zulu customs regarding vendettas and feuds." 1 November 1994. Immigration and Regugee Board of Canada. 23 November 2009 . U.S. Library of Congress . Nguni. 23 November 2009 . Zulu. 2000. 23 November 2009 . Read More