The bridal practice of ukuthwala (bridal abduction), has formed part of many South African native cultural groups, and has still remained as a cultural marriage practice in several places within the Eastern Cape. As the Eastern Cape is predominately a Xhosa populated part of the country, I will be exploring this practice through the Xhosa culture.
Although the practice of bridal abduction is a worldwide issue, it is however believed that the practice of ukuthwala in South Africa originated with the Xhosa people. (Mwambene & Sloth-nielsen, 2011) Initially the practice came about in cases when the either the girl’s family or both families, would be against a marriage or would not come into agreement with labola, and then the couple would stage this abduction, in order to force their families to allow the marriage to take place.
Although not inherently a form of an abusive abduction, it has mutated into a form of marriage which results in abuse, violence and in many unfortunate cases resulted in rape. Traditionally the practice may be conducted in one of two ways, there are cases where the girl’s family has consented to the marriage and the abduction of their daughter. In this case, the two families have met without consulting the girl in question and have even concluded with the labola negotiations in most of these cases. Then the two families for whatever the reasons may be agree to a specific date on which this abduction would take place. (Modisaotsile, 2013)
While the other painful case, which has become illegal, is where the man’s family are in agreement and have not met with either the young girl nor her family and simply decide to ambush her at their earliest convenience, to then inform the girl’s family once they have kidnapped her of what they have done.
No matter what the circumstance is, when the girl is unaware of this sort of marriage, it may be traumatic for her, as she is taken against her will and then forced to become a wife to someone she may not even know, and at times a man who is 15 to 40 years her senior
Although the practice of bridal abduction is a worldwide issue, it is however believed that the practice of ukuthwala in South Africa originated with the Xhosa people. (Mwambene & Sloth-nielsen, 2011) Initially the practice came about in cases when the either the girl’s family or both families, would be against a marriage or would not come into agreement with labola, and then the couple would stage this abduction, in order to force their families to allow the marriage to take place.
Although not inherently a form of an abusive abduction, it has mutated into a form of marriage which results in abuse, violence and in many unfortunate cases resulted in rape. Traditionally the practice may be conducted in one of two ways, there are cases where the girl’s family has consented to the marriage and the abduction of their daughter. In this case, the two families have met without consulting the girl in question and have even concluded with the labola negotiations in most of these cases. Then the two families for whatever the reasons may be agree to a specific date on which this abduction would take place. (Modisaotsile, 2013)
While the other painful case, which has become illegal, is where the man’s family are in agreement and have not met with either the young girl nor her family and simply decide to ambush her at their earliest convenience, to then inform the girl’s family once they have kidnapped her of what they have done.
No matter what the circumstance is, when the girl is unaware of this sort of marriage, it may be traumatic for her, as she is taken against her will and then forced to become a wife to someone she may not even know, and at times a man who is 15 to 40 years her senior
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