ZULU WEDDINGZULU WEDDING

A Zulu wedding has so many cultural aspects. like most African weddings It is vibrant with colours, music and dancing Traditional Zulu Wedding in rural Zululand is called Umabo.

When a Zulu girl comes of age, her father arranges a coming-out ceremony where he introduces her to society and lets suitors know that she is available for marriage. Well, to some extent, this tradition has changed because nowadays, the couple gets to choose their partners.

The groom then invites the bride and her clan to their home where they negotiate the dowry (Lobola) which is usually in form of cattles.

l o b o l a

The cattle serve as insurance in case the groom decides to reject the girl or leave her unjustly. It is used to help feed her and the children they may have sired together. It is also meant to show the father of the bride that the groom has the ability to take care of the bride. After lobola negotiation, the wedding date is set, and this is called "ukubona izinkomo."

Wedding preparations

As Zulu tradition, the bride’s family slaughter a goat after the ancestors have been told that she is getting married, and also for the ancestors to protect her. This traditional ceremony is known as umncamo. The groom’s family also slaughter a goat to welcome the bride into the family.

Throughout the ceremony, the bride carries a miniature knife (called an “assagai”) pointed up to symbolize her virginity. After the marriage is consummated the knife will be pointed down.........contd.