Amasiko lapha esiZulwini kungamaguguawobabamkhulu bethu aphendlwa adluliswa izizukulwane ngezizukulwane ukuba
ziwalandele ngoba esho incazelo noma inqubomgomo yokwenza izinto ngendlela
ehloniphekile empilweni. Umncamo into eyayenziwa uma kuzogana
intombi iye kamkhwenyana ngakusasa ngosuku lomshado.
Intombi lena eyayizoshada yayihlala elawini
lapho ibe nezinye izintombi khona ubusuku ngaphambi kokuba kube wusuku
lomshado. Yayihlatshelwa imbuzi bese inyongo yembuzuzi nomhlwehlwe wayo
yembathiswe wona emahlombe. Lokhu kwakuyindlela yokuxhumana nabaphansi bomndeni
bebikelwa ngentombi yalapha esizophuma iyoba umakoti komunye umuzi. Baziswa
futhi becelwa ukuthi bakhanyise izindlela zayo bayibheke iphatheke kahlee lapho
iya khona. Kwakuthi uma isihlatshiwe imbuzi leyo, bese intombi lena eezoba
umakoti ingene elawini layo nezinye izintombi, abadala bayihlahlele imbuzi leyo
bese kosiwa inyama yayo enye igxabhiswe. Lapha kugcwele kuyaphithizela kukhona
izihlobo nomakhelwane.
Bayocula lapha ngaphandle naselawini
lentombi leyo ezogana kuze kusondele izintathakusa kulamule ukukhathala.
Kwakufana nomlindelo kepha lapha intombi yayiyalwa nendlela okumele iziphathe
ngayo emzini futhi iqwashiswa ngizinqginambi ezohlangana nazo nendlela okumele
yenze ngayo uma esebhekene nazo.
Lapha ngaphandle ebaleni inyama
bamatasatasa bayayosa eyosiwayo, enye iyaphekwa. Iyothi ingalunga ilethwe
ngezithebe kanye nojeqe noma amadombolo. Labo abakhona elawini bayoyidla
bazitike, bahlehle basho ingoma babuyele kuyona
kuze kugingqike amathambo ezithebeni.
Nalabo abakhona lapha kulelikhaya bazoyidla
ukuze kuthi kusa nayo ibe isiphelile ngoba phela kwakungamele ibe khona
ngakusasa.
Bothi ke lapho sebecule badela sekusho
ukusa kodwa kusemnyama, wonke umuntu ekhathele ewudaka, bese bethi hlephu
kancane ubuthongo. Hhawu ukusa kokwaziwa yibona bebheke emfuleni beyogeza
abanye beyokha amanzi. Kuthi kusa nje sebelunge baqedile belungela usuku lolo
lomshado.
The night before the day of the traditional marriage
This practice was done the night before the bride meets the groom the following day. The family of the bride would buy a goat to slaughter and that goat had to be eaten on that night. The skin and other parts of the goats would be wrapped around the bride and elders would speak to the ancestors, asking them to look after the bride as she go to start a new family.
The goat after been skinned and parts for
the ritual removed and used where importantly belong to, it would be braai and
some cooked and prepared as a meal for that night. During this time, the bride
is at thee room where lots of ladies are sitting and some dancing, singing and
celebrating the event before the big day.
Here also would be the platform where she would be advised about how a married women should behave where she’s getting married to. They’d also let her be aware that the going will get tough at times and she’ll wish to return home, but a true women who wants to build a family will percevere. They’d alert her about the common problems and help her how to deal with them. Then they would sing, dance and enjoy thee food of the meat of the goat that was slaughtered. This would go on until early hours of the morning when they are all exhausted. They’d eventually take a nap and wake up at the dawn of the morning. They would go to the river to bath and get water and start preparing for the big day.
By: Mbusiswa Zuma