Ngibe nengxoxo no Mama uZandile Mthethwa ohlala Inanda endaweni yaseCongo. Ukugezwa kweladi ebandleni laseZion kwenzeka uma ngabe umuntu omusha noma kwenzeka ethola umntwana engakashadi noma ngabe usephinda uthola enye ingane kufanele aligeze iladi esontweni ngoba usuke esilingcolisile. Lokhu kwenziwa umuntu wesifazane uma esebelethile. Amabandla amaningi umuntu wesifazane uyanqunywa uma ekhulelwe ebandleni engakagani futhi abekelwe isikhathi sokuthi angabuya nini.
Uma ethole ingane yomfana ubuyela esontweni ingane uma isinamasonto ayisithupha (inyanga namasonto amabili) uma ethole eyentombazane kuba izinyanga ezintathu bese egeza iladi esengenisa nengane esontweni. Lokhu akwenziwe kumuntu oseganile ngoba ukuthola kwakhe umntwana kusuke kusemthethweni. Kodwa naye uyahlala lezi zinsuku ekumele zilindwe ingane ingene esontweni. Kuthiwa ingane yomfana iyashesha ukuhlangana yonke into yayo ayisabisi. Ingakho ngisho abantu besilisa bengayisabi ingane yomfana. Kanti ingane yentombazane iyaphuza ukuhlangana ingakho beyihlalisa izinyanga ezintathu.
Umama wengane uya esontweni ephethe izinkukhu ezimbili ezimhlophe kanye namakhandlela awu 7 nemali ewu R50 lemali kusuke kungeyeladi, aphathe ikesi lanemenayidi kanye nemali ewuhlweza emhlophe ukuhlambulula iladi. Lokhu basuke enkonzweni benzela ukuvikela ingane lezi ezingakazali ukuthi zingazali zingakashadi ngoba nezingelosi zenkonzo zizivikela ezintweni eziningi zithole nomshado zingakazali. Ngoba bathi uma lingagezwa iladi kuvamise ukuthi kuzalwe esontweni abantu bengakashadi.
Bobabili abazali bengane bayadingeka ngosuku lokugezwa kweladi esontweni. Lokhu kwenziwa nalapho kutholakala ukuthi intombi ayikhulelwe kodwa seyilalile nomuntu wesilisa. Lapha kuthiwa kusuke kugezwa izintombi ngoba okwenzekile kufana nenhlamba kwabanye. Lomkhuba owenziwa esontweni lamaZiyoni singakufanisa nesiko lapho kugqugquzelwa ukuthi abantu abangatholi abantwana bengakagani bazigcine.
English Summary
There are many customs that are followed by a Zion Congregation pertaining to the way young people should carry themselves. In this article we look at a cleansing ceremony that is performed by a young woman who have a child out of wedlock and also the same custom is expected to be done by a young woman that have lost her virginity out of wedlock.
The woman is expected to buy a live chicken, seven candles, pay R50 and bring silver coins to open or ask for the light from the angels of the church. She also have to buy a case of cold drinks that will be shared among church members. This can only be done after the birth of the baby but there are certain times that she should come back to church based on the gender of the child. Like if it’s a boy, she is expected to come back after six weeks whereas for a girl it is after three months. They believe that boys are stronger and they heal quickly than girls. On this day both parents are expected to be at church for the ceremony as it is also combined with introducing the child.
By Nqobile Mdabe