I-lobola in contemporary South Africa: perspectives and experiences of young people.
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Date
2020
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Abstract
Marriage continues to be an important aspect of life for people around the world, it is a respected
way of family formation and a way for two people to unite including their families.
In South Africa, it is often expected among Africans that there is a payment of i-lobola before
the actual marriage. I-lobola continues being a cultural practice that is common in South Africa
and other African countries. However, over the past few decades there has been some
changes in i-lobola and the focus has shifted from uniting families to financial gains.
The aim of the study was to shed insights into the practice of i-lobola in contemporary South
Africa. Data was collected using in-depth interviews with 20 participants, 10 males and 10
females between the ages of 18 to 24 years. All participants were students at the University of
KwaZulu-Natal in Durban.
The interviews suggest that i-lobola is widely recognized among young people and it still
holds cultural significance. Participants emphasized that the significance of i-lobola was to
unite two families however as the years progressed, people lost the meaning of i-lobola as
they were commercializing it. Participants stated that there was a relationship between ilobola
and marriage because the payment of i-lobola is a practice that must be followed for a
marriage to be recognized. The interviews suggest that high i-lobola payment is one of the
reasons people are cohabiting. Participants stated that some families used the virginity status
of the girl and her educational attainment in order to determine the amount of payment for ilobola.
Participants had different attitudes regarding i-lobola, with some still arguing that ilobola
should continue being practiced because it is part of their culture, while others stating
that it should be stopped because it has lost its significance.
The study recommends that man’s achievement should also be considered when determining
the value of i-lobola. Since families use i-lobola for financial gain, it is recommended that
before i-lobola negotiations commence, both families should advise individuals who are
about to get married about the importance of true love and proceed with the negotiations once
they can see that both individuals understand the importance of marriage. The study of ilobola
should be replicated with older people. This may help in getting a better understanding
of the purpose of i-lobola. Conducting a study on the elderly may create an understanding on
the origins of i-lobola as the elderly acquire knowledge regarding the significance of i-lobola.
Description
Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.