This month Nqobile’s stories were all focused around the relationship between a wife and mother and her family. It’s amazing how many age-old Zulu customs still remain strong, despite a good many others being lost or adapted over time. Although it would seem that the interpretations of these customs are not always the same – Nqobile wrote a story about how a bride must eat the liver from an ox on her wedding day, so that she shows respect for the elders and the wider community, and doesn’t gossip. But another Zulu friend I was talking to believes that a wife must eat the liver in order to let her new husband’s ancestors know that she is now a part of their family. Regardless, the custom of eating the liver still seems to be going strong, and hopefully through organisations like Ulwazi, these customs will remain for years to come!
Click on the links below to read about this and other fascinating Zulu customs that Nqobile and the rest of her team are helping to preserve for future generations:
- Isibindi Esidliwa Ngumakoti Kubo
- Usiko Lokufakwa Kwengane Esibongweni Sayo
- Imithetho Ysemzini Elandelwa Ngumama Wengane
Photograph courtesy of www.lookatdurban.co.za