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Essay On Lobola

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The payment of brideprice or lobola is a cultural practice which is seen being practiced throughout South Africa in the past and present (Shope, 2006:64). Lobola is the giving of gifts from the groom, in the form of money or livestock, to the parents of the bride (Ansell, 2001:697). The function of lobola in a traditional sense is to “solidify kinship ties and formalise links with in-laws which carry moral and material benefits” (Madhavan, 2010:142). Lobola has always been a significant factor of marriage in African cultures but the meanings and functions of lobola have changed with contemporary beliefs (Ansell, 2001:697).
Contemporary beliefs about the payment of brideprice (lobola) come mainly from the perspectives of black rural women as they are the individuals who still practice lobola as it is customary law (marriage in specific African cultures relies on both fathers’ agreeing on a payment of lobola) (Ansell, 2001:697). Ansell (2001:699) says that lobola is now seen in some instances as having purely a material and political function as the parents of the bride may not simply get cattle but the contemporary belief is that lobola is now used in some communities, such …show more content…

A study done with black African students at a South African university found that when presented with these contrasting ideas the students said that tradition and culture are important aspects in their lives and if they were expected to pay lobola they would but most participants were opposed to the practice of lobola in general (Nkosi,

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