North of Pretoria, the capital of South Africa, lives one of the main branches of the Ndebele people. The wedding ritual is divided into three parts, each with its own specificities.
Ndebele dress is highly codified. Each item of jewellery represents a status or a social age, and each new accessory added or removed is the mark of a new stage reached.
Until the wedding, the young girl wears a light, relatively "sexy" outfit that is common among the Zulu and Xhosa, consisting of a simple beaded skirt and a strapless necklace, also made of glass beads, that exposes part of her breasts.
The wedding is organised between the families of the future spouses. The first stage is the labola. As in many African societies, a dowry must be offered by the suitor to his future wife. This can be paid in several instalments, in money and livestock, with the first instalment due before the wedding begins. The matrimonial negotiations between the two groups of families are a long process, involving the presentation of six to eight head of cattle, and are not finally concluded until long after the birth of the first child. The conjugal residence is that of the husband, and newly-weds ( omak jothi ) are involved in cooking, beadwork and even raising other small children from various households on the family estate. Wives are required to observe the custom of ukuhlonipha or "respect" for their stepfathers (physical avoidance, first-name taboos, etc.).
Once the wedding date has been set, the second stage is for the bride to spend two weeks away from home. A ritual retreat to her parents' home. During this initiation period, the young girl prepares large hoops or golwani (or isigolwani) for ankles and legs. These colourful hoops are made by wrapping grass and cotton around a spool and boiling it in sugar water to harden it. They are then dried in the sun before being covered with strands of glass beads. The leg rings make movement difficult, so the young girl has to be supported to put them on and stand up. These rings also come in bracelets and imposing round ornaments that are superimposed to cover all or part of the arms, legs, waist and neck. They are worn by young women coming out of their initiation ceremony, or by young brides whose husbands have not yet finished building their homes. Older women may also wear them as a matter of taste or to attract tourists.
During this period of withdrawal, the young girl can only receive visits from members of her family, and the women teach her how to be a good wife. She wears a bridal apron, the liphotu, the two-sided symbolising the bride and groom and the fringe of pearl tassels represents the children they hope to have.
The next stage begins with the birth of the first child, considered to be the pinnacle of the marriage. After giving birth, the young woman is allowed to wear the beaded apron "ijogolo" (or itshogolo), the five sides of which depict a mother surrounded by children. The colourful motif of a modern dwelling with windows, doors and a pitched roof indicates the importance of home and family to the Ndebele, as well as the desire for a more modern way of life.
Marriage concluded
After the birth of the first child, the groom sends a letter to the bride's family requesting a date to finalise the payment of the labola. He must then buy a sheep, blankets and some clothes for the girl's family. The groom's parents then visit the bride's parents and pay the dowry, after which they take the bride-to-be to their family. Whether urban or rural, Ndebele weddings today include a customary ceremony (ngesikhethu) and a Christian ceremony. The wedding is ritually celebrated in the presence of family members, who witness the pronouncement of wedding vows and the exchange of rings. The"ijogolo" is also worn by all married women during the wedding ceremony. After the religious ceremony, the couple put on traditional clothes and go with guests to the home of the new bride for the wedding meal, after which gifts are presented to the newlyweds. During the ceremony, the young woman remains wrapped in a red blanket known as the "wedding blanket" nguba, indicating her status as a wife.
Once she is under her husband's roof, she will be able to add the famous Idzila, the brass spiral necklace which allows the Ndebele to share with the Kayan women of Burma, the nickname of " giraffe women ".
Find out more : https://www.southafrica.net/za/en/travel/article/culture-and-expression-of-identity-the-ndebele-of-south-africa
Text : Brigitte Postel
Photos : Wiki Commons and R. Barbier
