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The nature and significance of bride wealth among the South African Bantu
Perhaps the most controversial topic in the whole field of South African Bantu ethnography is that of the institution known variously as lobola (Zulu-Xhosa), bohadi, boxadi, bohali (Sotho) or mala (Venda). In its simplest form it can be defined as the handing over of some consideration, usually catt...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Social Anthropology
2016
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| _version_ | 1867613305263095808 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Hammond-Tooke, William David |
| author2 | Schapera, Isaac |
| author_browse | Hammond-Tooke, William David Schapera, Isaac |
| author_facet | Schapera, Isaac Hammond-Tooke, William David |
| author_sort | Hammond-Tooke, William David |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Perhaps the most controversial topic in the whole field of South African Bantu ethnography is that of the institution known variously as lobola (Zulu-Xhosa), bohadi, boxadi, bohali (Sotho) or mala (Venda). In its simplest form it can be defined as the handing over of some consideration, usually cattle, by the father of the bridegroom to the father of the bride on the occasion of a marriage between their children. No subject has been so widely discussed nor, unfortunately, given rise to so many misconceptions in missionary, administrative and lay circles, and it is imperative that some scientific investigation be made to ascertain, as accurately as possible, the exact nature of this institution and its significance in Bantu society. A glance at the literature shows that this topic has certainly not remained unnoticed by travellers, missionaries and others who have come into contact with our native peoples, either professionally or otherwise, but many of their observations are vitiated by prejudice and such subjective evaluations as: "The individual woman is less than a human being, she is merely a channel through which the children are delivered to the purchaser. It is truly not woman purchase, it is a wholesale transaction in child-life.", and the use of such terms as "sale" and "wife barter". Others say it plays an important stabilising part in native marriage. Thus in all contact situations, but particularly in the native Church and in the law courts, there is marked perplexity - and inconsistency - in dealing with the custom, all tending to increase the confusion and maladjustment of our native peoples - especially among native Christians. It is submitted, therefore, that the time is propitious for a detailed study of this institution, and this the following thesis attempts to do. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/22263 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:34:00.978Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| publishDateRange | 2016 |
| publishDateSort | 2016 |
| publisher | Social Anthropology |
| publisherStr | Social Anthropology |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/22263 The nature and significance of bride wealth among the South African Bantu Hammond-Tooke, William David Schapera, Isaac Simons, H J Ethnography Social Anthropology Perhaps the most controversial topic in the whole field of South African Bantu ethnography is that of the institution known variously as lobola (Zulu-Xhosa), bohadi, boxadi, bohali (Sotho) or mala (Venda). In its simplest form it can be defined as the handing over of some consideration, usually cattle, by the father of the bridegroom to the father of the bride on the occasion of a marriage between their children. No subject has been so widely discussed nor, unfortunately, given rise to so many misconceptions in missionary, administrative and lay circles, and it is imperative that some scientific investigation be made to ascertain, as accurately as possible, the exact nature of this institution and its significance in Bantu society. A glance at the literature shows that this topic has certainly not remained unnoticed by travellers, missionaries and others who have come into contact with our native peoples, either professionally or otherwise, but many of their observations are vitiated by prejudice and such subjective evaluations as: "The individual woman is less than a human being, she is merely a channel through which the children are delivered to the purchaser. It is truly not woman purchase, it is a wholesale transaction in child-life.", and the use of such terms as "sale" and "wife barter". Others say it plays an important stabilising part in native marriage. Thus in all contact situations, but particularly in the native Church and in the law courts, there is marked perplexity - and inconsistency - in dealing with the custom, all tending to increase the confusion and maladjustment of our native peoples - especially among native Christians. It is submitted, therefore, that the time is propitious for a detailed study of this institution, and this the following thesis attempts to do. 2016-10-24T03:45:27Z 2016-10-24T03:45:27Z 1948 Master Thesis Masters MA http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22263 eng application/pdf Social Anthropology Faculty of Humanities University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Ethnography Social Anthropology Hammond-Tooke, William David The nature and significance of bride wealth among the South African Bantu |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | The nature and significance of bride wealth among the South African Bantu |
| title_full | The nature and significance of bride wealth among the South African Bantu |
| title_fullStr | The nature and significance of bride wealth among the South African Bantu |
| title_full_unstemmed | The nature and significance of bride wealth among the South African Bantu |
| title_short | The nature and significance of bride wealth among the South African Bantu |
| title_sort | nature and significance of bride wealth among the south african bantu |
| topic | Ethnography Social Anthropology |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22263 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hammondtookewilliamdavid thenatureandsignificanceofbridewealthamongthesouthafricanbantu AT hammondtookewilliamdavid natureandsignificanceofbridewealthamongthesouthafricanbantu |