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Essay On Xhosa Wedding

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The Xhosa wedding begins when the father of the groom decides the state of readiness of his son to take on a wife. This is usually determined by a number of things including the mental state of readiness of the son, capability of the son to provide for the wife as well as relations that may have been built with the future in laws. It rarely becomes about the wife. The father will “loan” the son the money required for the lobola and in return the son will work hard towards repaying that loan. The loan is paid back to the father as a symbol and commitment that the son will be able to take care of his wife. Ilobolo is cattle (regardless of number) paid by umkhwenyana (son-in-law) for his umakoti (bride). It is various cattle with their specific …show more content…

In the African culture, especially the AmaXhosa culture, when a girl gets married it is called “ukwenda”. The Villages will rejoice for days with a number of rituals that are carried out for the girl, including the ritual of the “intambo enkulu”, the girl is prepared a necklace made from the goat skin and this is meant to protect her in her new venture. Another ritual that is performed is “utsiki” once the girl has arrived to the groom’s place. She has to eat the goat meat and drink the sour milk from the goat. This signifies that she is part of the family now. When a girl gets married she receives a new name from the new family which is now her new family. The new name is emphasizing that the girl is welcomed in that particular home. There is also a particular dress code that is expected from her. She dresses up in traditional attire mostly made from the traditional material called isishweshwe and there is a shawl around her shoulders, a doek that covers her head, a scarf around her waist. The clothes are a sign of respect and are there to hide any part of her flesh so that she does not evoke any sexual desires upon other

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