The Xhosa people are a Bantu group native to Southern Africa. They belong to various tribes such as amaGcaleka, amaNdlambe, imiDushane and more. A traditional Xhosa wedding doesn’t just see the union of two people, but of two families joining. So what happens at a traditional Xhosa wedding?
Pre wedding traditions
Picking your partner
- The term is called ‘Ukuthwala’. This is where a groom will choose a partner to marry and once the lucky person is chosen, the groom will inform his family and approach the bride’s family. They will discuss their desires and reach an agreement followed by the bride-to-be being asked to spend the night with the groom’s family. This is a form of acknowledgement of the marriage.
Lobola
- A form of payment – in order to wed the woman, the groom-to-be has to pay her family in exchange for her hand. Traditionally, payment was in the form of cattle, but nowadays people prefer money. The amount is usually more if the bride-to-be is more educated and is calculated on her success.
Wedding traditions
The ‘night before’ rule
- The couple isn’t allowed to see each other the night before their big day.
Two-day event
- Celebrations normally go on for two days and involve a lot of dancing and singing.
To the streets
- The newlywed couple will take to the streets. They will walk together in the road to present themselves as a new couple to the community.
Two weddings
- Not all couples, but many of them, have two weddings. They have their traditional one and choose to have a modern ‘white’ wedding as well.
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