Izalukazi zazidlala ingxenye enkulu ekukhuleni kwezingane ekhaya nasemphakathini kangangokuthi babethenjwa futhi babekwazi ukubona uma umuntu esengena esigabeni esithile sokukhula. Futhi ukuthenjwa kwabo kwakwaziwa kakhulu izinsizwa uma isifuna ukuganwa ngoba yayibuza bona abantu abadala ngokuziphatha kwentombazane. Ziningi izindlela ababeyihlola ngayo intombi leyo uma kukhona izinto ababengaziqondi kahle. Kuzothi uma esekutholile lokho atshele insizwa yilapho isalukazi sesizoklonyeliswa ngogwayi wamakhala.
Umuntu obizwa ngensizwa umuntu wesilisa osengena esigabeni sobudala kodwa ongakaganwa. Uma insizwa isizothatha umakoti ibimthatha esigodini sangakubo ngokusizwa nangokulekelwa umndeni wayo. Lokhu babekwenza ngoba babesuke beyazi intombi ngendlela esuke ikhuliswe ngayo nokuthi iphuma emzini onjani. Abantu bakudala babekwazisa ukuthi uma bezele izinsizwa kusho ukuthi umuzi uzokhula kuthi abazele izintombi babazi ukuthi bazothola izinkomo eziningi. Kwakubalulekile ukuthi umnumzane uma sekufika izinkomo ekhaya akwazi ukuthi azabe ngendlela efanele kumadodana akhe ukuze kungabikhona umsindo.
Kwakungelona ichilo ukuthi abazali bentombazane baxoxisane ngokuthi sekufike isikhathi sokuthi iyogana uma bebona ukuthi sengathi ingane yabo ayikaqomi. Phela kwakungafanele umuntu ayogana ngoba esukhule kakhulu ngoba emzini kwakufanele afike akotize, manje bekukuhle ukuthi umuntu asheshe ayogana khona ezokwazi ukumelana nomsebenzi onzima wasemzini.
Kwakuthi uma intombi seyibonakala ukuthi isingena esigabeni sokugana kodwa ayiqomile, yayithunywa ekhaya ngenhloso yokuthi ibonwe izinsizwa zendawo. Ogogo nomama yibona ababethola ukuthi intombi isiqomile noma cha. Uma intombi noma insizwa kubonakala ukuthi ayiqomile noma ayiqonyiwe bebeyenzela umuthi kubo wokuthi ibe nogazi nayo ithole umaqondana noma bebeyihlabela isilwane beyicelela kwabangasekho ukuthi akaganwe umntwana. Kunenkolelo yokuthi ngemuva kokuwusebenzisa lowomuthi izinto zazihamba njengokufisa kwabantu abadala.
Insizwa yayikhulunyelwa abazali bayo ngokubona ukuthi intombi yakwabani ikhuthele noma iyigagu, izithobile noma izothile futhi inenhlonipho. Ogogo bona bebenesiphiwo sokuyibuka ihambela kude intombi, bebheka umzimba wayo, ukunyathela, nokukhuluma uma ikhuluma nomuntu omdala, bebekwazi nokusho ukuthi uyozala izingane zabafana eziningi, noma abantwana abaningi noma cha. Okunye ababekubheka izinsumpa ezincane ebusweni ebeziyizimpawu zokuthi intombi izothola abafana, beziphela ngokubathola labobantwana.
Babekwazi abantu abadala ukubona izimpawu eziningi emizimbeni yalabo abasakhula njengokuthi:
• Uma intombazane isesikhathini babeyibheka izandla ngaphakathi beziba bomvu zibe negazi eliningi uma usicindezela sibemhlophe uma usidedela lisheshe libuyele.
• Kowesilisa babebheka iminwe yezandla kanye nezinzwane ukuthi isitho sangasese singakanani.
• Uma intombi inamabele amancane bekuba ezinye izimpawu zokuthi unenzalo eningi, nokuthi uzoba nobisi oluningi.
• Uma intombi seyiganile seyingumakoti bebekwazi ukumbona uma isikhulelwe ngokuthi izinzipho zayo ezandleni bezibamhlophe kungathi uyagodola.
English Summary
Mothers and grandmothers played an important role in the upbringing of their children in such that they will also make sure that when they reach a stage of getting married they find right partners. And also in cases where they see that their children are not involved with anyone they will try to help in any way they can such as to give muthi so that their daughter or son will cleanse themselves for good luck. In a worst case scenario they will also slaughter a goat to appease ancestors.
Even for a man that wants to get married but was not sure of a particular girl’s behaviour that he was interested in, he will ask his mother or grandmother’s opinion. When they feel that they have done enough research they will give him their blessings. It was a known fact that if a man has many sons it means his legacy will continue and for those with many girls it means their livestock will multiply.
Female adults were also able to identify a:
• Wife who will bear boys by looking at their bodies (size of breasts).
• When women were pregnant by looking at their fingertips or nails.
By: Nelisiwe Hlongwane