Zulu traditional wedding ceremony

Ever wonder if your cultures wedding ceremony is different from others, well take a look at my blog and find out.This is a Zulu wedding ceremony and the happenings from after the lobola has been fully paid.Decriptions of the couples outfits is given just to give you an image. What is a traditional wedding?A traditional wedding is a last step after lobola negotiations has been finalized. This kind of wedding involves different cultures. Sometimes traditional wedding can be between two different cultures so those cultures will be represented on that day although the bride will end up following her husbands culture.Who set a wedding date?The groom invites his in-laws to come to his home so that they will discuss the wedding date (Ukubona izinkomo). The groom pays all the cows to the bride's family and then they set a date which is suitable for both families. After they agreed on a date the bride's family will go back home with the cows and start the wedding preparation.Wedding preparations (Bride's side)The bride’s family buys gifts that she will give to her in-laws after the wedding ceremony such as: blankets, Zulu mats, brooms, clay pots, aprons and furniture. She will also buy a box (Kist) where she can put her clothes in and her husband’s gifts.The goat will be slaughtered after the head of the family has spoken to the ancestors that his daughter is getting married. The bride’s father buys a goat that will be used to perform a ceremony which is called umncamo and he want the ancestors to protect her. Brides Fairwell (Ukucimela)The family and relatives of the bride give gifts to the bride just to wish her a happy wedding and they advice her to be a good wife to her husband and family.Wedding preparations (Groom's side)The groom will buy two cows which will be slaughtered on the day of the ceremony. He will also buy a goat that will be slaughtered to welcome the bride. The groom’s family will prepare food and sorghum beer for a special day.Wedding dayBride’s mother gives her daughter blanket that she will use to cover her body when she is leaving and her father will lead her to the kraal, and from the kraal they will go straight to the groom's residence and the bride will be advised not to look back.The brides family comes early in the morning so that the bride will steal the gate. The bride enters her husband's home while nobody is noticing her. She enters in the kitchen and sits in the women’s side of the house. Then the groom’s family will pay for not being aware of the bride, they should have stopped her before she enters the house . The groom’s family will welcome the bride’s family and show them the room in which they can stay. In the midday the ceremony will start both bride and groom wear their traditional clothes.Groom’s outfitIbheshu- skin buttock covering worn by man. Isinene- it covers the male front part Isembatho- it covers male shoulders Amadavathi- it covers male ankles Izingusha- they cover male wrists Iklolode- it covers male hairBrides outfitIsidwaba- leather skirt worn by married woman Isicwaya-wear skin to cover breast Inkehli- it covers females headThen the couple will go to an open place where they will perform their wedding and dance in a traditional way. After that they will go back home to eat. The bride will give her in-laws the gifts she brought and also the groom’s family will give the bride outfit that she will wear when she enters the kitchen.ConclusionA Wedding brings two families together, it actually builds a relationship in the families that no one will separate because it also involves their ancestors. So the groom’s family takes a cow’s bile and split it to the bride which ensures that she now belongs to the groom’s family.Source: Campbell.ukzn.ac.zaBy: Zanele Shange  Ulwazi Disclaimers   Ulwazi Programme