I

NDIGENI
OUS COURTSHI
P PRACTI
CES OFDI
FFERENT ETHNI
C
GROUPS

Def
inet
hef
oll
owi
ngt
erms

(
a)Abduct
ion-f
orci
blyt
aki
ngsomeoneawayagai
nstt
hei
rwi
ll
.

(
b)Cour
tship-is a per
iod dur
ing whi
ch a coupl
e dev
elops a
r
omanti
cr elat
ionshi
pbefor
eget t
ingmar
ri
ed.

(
c)Consent
-ist
oper
mitorappr
ove.

(d)
Rape-for
cingawoman/
mant
ohav
esexwi
thouthi
sorher
consent
.

(
e)I
nter
netDat
ing-Hav
ingal
oveaf
fai
rusi
ngt
hei
nter
net
.

I
NDI
GENOUSCOURTSHI
PPRACTI
CES

-i
nvol
vesmor
ethanj
ustt
wopeopl
e

-t
hepr
ocessst
art
swi
thi
dent
if
yingasui
tabl
ewomant
omar
ry

-I
twasdonet
hroughr
elat
ives

-aman‘
sser
iousnesswasshownbyhi
svi
sit
stot
hewoman‘
s
home

-i
nter
act
ionwi
thaunt
ies

-goodbehav
iourdi
spl
ay

-Resil
ience,
honesty
,har
d work and humi
li
ty wer
e maj
or
at
tri
buteslookedfortoamanbyagi
rl

-Vi
rt
uewasf
orwomen
-Vi
rgi
nit
ywasmostpr
efer
redt
hanno-v
irgi
ns

-Agobet
weenwassentt
othegi
rl

-t
hecour
tshi
pwasl
ongandi
nvol
vedel
der
s

-Nosecr
ets

-v
eryf
ewcasesofdi
vor
ces

-Ver
yfewcasesofpr
e-mar
it
alsexualr
elat
ionshi
ps

-t
her
ewast
imet
ost
udyoneanot
her

-Novemberwasasacr
edmont
h-nor
it
ual
sorcer
emoni
est
obe
hel
dinthi
smonth

LOVETOKEN/
NDUMA

-thisis atokenwhichwasexchangedbyt
het
wowhohad
agreedtobei
narel
ati
onshi
p

-t
hiswasaguar
ant
eeofmar
ri
age

-t
het
wowoul
dexchangechar
msorcl
othesamongot
heri
tems

-t
hegi
rl
'sauntwasnor
mal
lyt
hewi
tness

-agir
lwasnotal
lowedtoacceptanyot
herman'
spr
oposalwhi
lst
shehadsomeone'
selset
oken

-forexampleamongt hekalangaifaboywhohadgi venagi r

l
ndumanow wantedtor ev
ersei taf
terhehadsleptwi
ththegi r
l
,t
hegirlwaswassupposedtot hrowherunder
weartoherfaceas
asignthatt
heysl
epttoget
her

-dur
ingt
hecour
tshi
pper
iodt
heauntandt
heuncl
epl
ayapar
tto
ensur
ethatt
het
woar
epr
epar
edf
ormar
ri
age

-thetwower
eencour
agedt
oav
oidsexuali
nter
cour
sedur
ing
cour
tshi
p

THEZULUCOURTSHI
PPRACTI
CE

-Thewomanconf
essesherl
ovet
oman(
Ukuqoma)

-t
hewomanwoul
dst
artr
eeddancer
it
ual(
umkhosi
)

-theyinv
olv
ethewomangi
vingt
hemal
esomet
hingper
sonal
(ucu)

-t
hemanwear
sitsot
hatev
ery
oneseesi
t.

TONGACOURTSHI
PPRACTI
CES

-Ar
ethef
ormsofTongaCour
tshi
p

(
i)kweba/
kut
umi
ra

(
ii
)Kut
izi
sisa/
Kut
izi
sya

(
a)Kweba/
Kut
umi
ra

-Aboy(
mul
ombe)andagi
rl(
musi
mbi
)hav
ebot
htobev
irgi
ns.

-Theyusemi
ddl
emen(
Ngeenda)t
oconnectt
het
wof
ami
li
es.

-Thegi
rlandaboyhast
obemat
ure(
30y
ear
sandabov
e)

-Themani
spi
ecedatt
hei
nnerpar
tofhi
snoset
oshowmat
uri
ty.

-Themanscoutf
oragi
rlt
omar
ryandt
hent
ellhi
spar
ent
s.
-Theboy
’sf
ami
lywi
llt
henv
etf
ort
hegi
rl
’schar
act
er.

-Ngeendaisthensenttothegi
rl
’shomet
onot
if
yoft
heboy
’s
i
nter
estsi
ftheprof
il
eisgood.

-Thepar
ent
soft
het
woar
einv
olv
ed

-Whenthegi
rlaccept
ed,shet
hengav
eherbeadsonat
hread
knownast
heMbeji.

-Thegi
rl
’sf
amil
yt henreceiv
esaf
ir
stbr
idepr
icei
nthef
orm of
cat
tl
eandot
herassort
ment s.

-Thesoni
nlawwi
llt
henbecal
ledt
otakehi
swi
fe(
mwanakazi
)

-Whil
istt
heson-inl
awisathi
swi
fe’
shome,hetookabat
hof
ver
ycoldwat
er,andi
fheshi
ver
edt
henhei
sregar
dedasaweak
man.

-Af
tert
hist
hesadzai
sthenpr
epar
edwi
thpumpki
nseeds.

-i
fther
eli
sht
urni
ntowat
er,
thent
hesoni
nlawwasnotav
irgi
n.

-i
fther
eli
sht
hickens,
then,
hei
sav
irgi
n

-t
heyt
henat
ether
eli
sht
oget
herandt
hrowsomef
oodaway
.

-t
hegirlt
henoil
sherf
acewi
thoi
ltoshow t
hatshei
snow a
marr
iedwoman.

-t
heyt
hengot
othesoni
nlaw’
shomest
ead.

-thegir
list
henreceivedandpaidvar
iouspri
cesofent
eri
ngt
he
yardofhi
shusband.Sever
alri
tual
saredone

b)
Kut
izi
sa/
Kut
izi
sya
-Thi
sf or
m ofmar r
iagei
sequi
val
entt
oMusengaber
einShona.
Readthatsect
ion.

-Themarr
iagepract
icerest
suponaGi r
landaboywhowi
sht
o
marr
yeachotherwit
houtfol
lowi
ngcul
tur
alpr
act
ices

-Iti
snowmoreorgani
sedt
hanbef
orebuthowev
ert
hepr
act
ices
hasnowbeendi
lut
ed.

KUPEREKA/
UMUTHI
MBA/
KUPURURUDZI
RAMUROORA

Descr
ibe the kuper
eka/
umut
himba cer
emony r
eav
ili
ng i
t'
s
si
gnif
icance(
12)

-thi
sisaceremonyofwel
comi
ngt
hebr
idei
ntot
hegr
oom'
s
homeandv
ill
age

-af
termar
riageceremonyorwhenthegir
lhadeloped,t
hebr
ide
hadtobet
akenintoherhusband'
svi
ll
ageorr
atherhome

-t
hebr
idewoul
dbeaccompani
edherauntorhersi
ster

-t
hiscer
emonywoul
dbeper
for
medei
theratni
ghtordur
ing
br
oaddayl
ight

-t
heceremonybeganat adi
stanceawayf
rom t
hegr
oom'
s
vi
ll
age

-t
hebr
idewoul
dbecov
eri
ngherf
acewi
thacl
oth

-t
hebr i
dewouldwal
kandsitunt
ilherhusband'
ssi
stergav
eher
atokeninapr
acti
ceknownaskushonongora

-ift
heydi
dnothav
eenoughmoneyt
hebr
idewoul
dremai
n
seat
ed
-whentheyar
ri
vedhomet hebr
ideisshowntot
hei
nlawsand
theel
der
swhil
ecover
ingherf
acewit
hacloth

-theywouldcookf oodforherandcult
ural
lyshei
ssupposedt
o
refuseandacceptaft
erkushonongor
wa

-i
fsheaccept
edont
hef
ir
stof
fershewoul
dbeconsi
der
edasi
ll
-mannar
ed

-di
ff
erentsongsar
esungasawayofwel
comi
ngt
hebr
ide

-t
hesongwoul
dcont
ainwor
dofadv
iceaswel
lasmocker
y

-aft
ert hepr
oceedi
ngst heauntwhowouldhaveaccompani
ed
herniecewoul
dletheruncover
edtobeseenbyv
ill
ager
s

-t
hefoll
owi
ngmor ni
ngthebr
ideandhersisterorauntwoul
d
wakeupear
lybef
oreany
oneel
setodohouseholdchor
es

-t
heywoul
dnotr
emov
ethepi
leofr
ubbi
shunt
ilt
heywer
egi
ven
atoken

-theywil
lal
sogi
vet
hehusband'
sfami
lywat
ert
obat
hear
lyi
n
themorni
ng

-t
heywoul
dbegi
venat
okenofappr
eci
ati
onei
theri
ncashor
ki
nd

-aft
erthist
hebr
ideisconsi
deredtohavebeenf
ull
yint
roduced
toboththei
mmediat
eandextendedfami
ly

COURTSHI
P AND MEETI
NG PLACES I
N THE ZI
MBABWEAN
TONGACULTURE.
(
a)Ci
il
imbaCer
emony

-i
tisaj
oyouscer
emonyconduct
edi
n

Mar
ch

Apr
il

May

June

December

Januar
y

-Twodr
umsabi
gandasmal
lonear
epl
ayedatt
hiscer
emony
.

-Ci
il
imbai
spr
act
icedi
ntheev
eni
ngaf
tersupper
.

(
b)Nt
uut
u

-I
sdoneaf
terhar
vest
ing

-Gi
rl
sgooutt
oscav
engef
orcr
opsl
eft
over
sint
hef
iel
ds.

-t
heycookt
hem atNt
uut
upl
ays.

-boysgoi
ntot
hef
orest
sandhuntandputupsnar
est
ocat
ch
mice.

I
mpor
tanceofNt
uut
u

-Boy
sandgi
rl
scanpr
act
icechor
es.

-chancet
olear
nresponsi
li
ti
es.
-Oppor
tuni
tyt
oident
if
ymar
ri
agepar
tner
s.

(
c)Ngomabunt
ibe

-t
hesear
edancesandj
oyousmoment
sdoneatcer
emoni
es

-dr
umsar
epl
ayed

-Hor
nsar
ebl
ow.

-songssangcommuni
cat
ejoy
,sor
row,
orhopesf
ort
hef
utur
e

TONGACULTUREI
NMORDENERA

-Thecul
tur
ehasbeendi
lut
edby:

(
i)
mixedmar
ri
ages

(
ii
)Soci
ali
sat
ion

(
ii
i)
Inf
ormat
ionandCommuni
cat
ionTechnol
ogy

(
iv)
Global
isat
ion

(
v)Busi
nessCent
resl
ikeSi
mbal
a,Sabaandmpambe.

(
vi)
Beerhal
ls

(
vii
)West
ernl
if
est
yle.

(
ix)
Chr
ist
iani
ty

(
x)Mor
denwayofl
if
e

MORDEN/
CONTEMPORARYCOURTI
SHI
PPRACTI
CES

-i
st hewayandmeansrecognisedbydi
ff
erentgr
oupsofpeopl
e
astheyscoutf
ormar
ri
agepartnersi
nli
fe
-al
though court
shi
p practi
cesvaryfr
om geographi
cpl ace to
pl
acet hemosti mport
antt hi
ngistoknow eachot herbetter
bef
orethedecisi
ontobet oget
herasacoupl
eismade

-contemporar
y courtshi
p pract
ice ar
el argel
yi nf
luenced by
westeni
sati
onortheadopt i
onofpracti
cesthatarenotsyncwith
ourindi
genouspract
iceso

TYPESOFCONTEMPORARYCOURTSHI
PPRACTI
CE

1)
Rel
igi
ouscour
tshi
ppr
act
ice

-rel
igious cour
tshi
p pract
ices ar
e dominanti
n Chr
ist
iani
ty,
Judaism,Isl
am andevenRastaf
ari
anrel
igi
ons

-pr
act
icesdi
ff
eraccor
dingt
othedi
ff
erentbel
ief
s

-Chr
ist
iani
tyf
ori
nst
ancebasesi
t'
sfai
thont
heBi
ble

-whenitcomestocourtshipmaturey oungmencandi
rect
ly
appr
oachagi
rloft
hei
rchoiceandproposeslov
e

-t
his is mai nl
y done af t
er consult
ati
on with church
el
der
s,past
orsortheRever
endaboutthechar
act
eroftheyoung
womenwhowoul dhavebeeni
denti
fi
ed

-howeveri
n otherchurchesan expecti
ng y
oung man sends
el
derl
yormat urefel
low Chr
ist
ian(ei
thermaleorfemal
e)t o
appr
oachanident
if
iedgir
lonhisbehal
f

-thi
sisdoneasawayofassisti
ngthegirlandassur
ingherof
theser
iousnessont
hepar
toft
heint
erest
edsuitor

-oncet
het woagreedtobei ncour
tshi
p,theyar
ecounsell
ed
usi
ngbi
bli
calt
eachi
ngsunt
ill
obol
aispaidandwedandengage
SOCI
ALCOURTSHI
PPRACTI
CES

-r
efer
stoway sandmeansusedtoli
ve,engageandmar
ryeach
ot
heratsoci
all
evelusi
nggobet
weens(sahwir
a)

-t
heyar
edef
inedaccor
dingt
osoci
etalbel
ief
s

-forexamplet heybel
iev
et hatregardl
essofhow l ongpeopl
e
havebeendatingorser
iousnessoftherelat
ionshi
poncetherei
s
proofthatt
het wohaveslepttogethertheyar ecompell
edto
marryeachother

-usual
lyt
hegi
rl
'sbr
otherorauntar
eexpect
edt
otal
ktot
hegi
rl

-oncesheagreesthatshesl
eptwit
hthey
oungman,shei
s
accompani
edt
otheboy'
shomest
ead

-thi
swasmeantf orpeopl
enottotakesexualint
ercor
seasbad
casualt
hingbutasacr
osancti
ssuereser
vedformarri
age

-atti
meselder
lywomenf
aci
li
tat
eev
ent
sthatgi
veboy
sandgi
rl
s
opport
uni
ti
estomeet

-anotherform ofsoci
alcour
tshi
pthati
spr
ominentinthedigi
tal
eraisthroughsocialmediaplat
for
msli
keWhatsApp,Facebook,
i
nstagram

-onecanregi
sterbycr
eati
nganaccountwher
eyoucanmar
ket
your
sel
fbyprovidi
ngapi
ctur
e,ageandi
nter
est

-aft
ercompl
eti
ngtheregist
rati
onprocess,y
ougettomeetthe
ki
ndofpersony ouar
el ookingfororonet hatmat
chesyour
needs

WESTERNCOURTSHI
PPRACTI
CES
-thewesterncourtshi
parespreadt
hrought
elev
isi
on,mov
ies
andint
ernat
ionalmediapl
atf
orm

-boy
sandgi
rl
sgett
ost
aywi
theachot
herast
heydat
e

-t
her
ear
enoadv
isor
sorgobet
ween

-l
argel
ythesecour
tshi
ppract
icesencourageopennessandhav
e
norest
ri
cti
onsonthebodyoftheotherpartner

-t
hisi
ssl
owl
ycomi
ngt
otheAf
ri
cancont
inent

People of today now f

alli
ntol
ove af
fai
rst
hrough t
he
engagementof
:

-Past
or

-I
nter
netdat
ingonsi
tesl
ike

-Met
rodat
e

-t
opf
ace

-Dat
ingBuzz

-Ev
eni
ngTouch

-Facebook

-i
nst
agr
am

-Twi
tt
er

-What
sApp

-Radi
oZi
mbabwe–I
daanokuda

COMPARI
SON OF I
NDI
GENOUS AND CONTEMPOARY
COURTSHI
P

1)Indi genouspr actisesuphel dthatt heshonashoul dbei na

rel
ationshipwi thpeopl eint hei
rownar eaorv i
ll
age.A shona
adagesuppor tedi t" r
ooreranaivemat ongo".
Thisledpeopleto
courtpeopl eintheirv ici
nit
yandi tmadei teasyfortheelderst
o
moni torthe relati
onshi p.Howev erin contemporarycour t
shi
p
peoplenol ongerr especttheseboundar i
es,peopl
ecanbei na
rel
ationship wi t
h any one.Ot her people can even be ina
rel
ationshipwi thforeigners.Thismar ksahugedi ffer
encefrom
theindigenousway s

2)Anotherturni
nt hecont emporarycourtshi
pist heuseofsoci al
medi a.People ar
e now engagi ng i
nr elat
ionshipt hrough the
socialmedi aandev enwi thoutseeing thatpar ti
cularperson.
There are various channels whi ch i
nclude
Tishamwaridzane,
What sApp,Facebook,2Goamongot her
s.Thi s
idea ofdat i
ng a st rangerwas nota char acteristi
c oft he
indi
genouscour t
shippr acti
ces

3)I
nindi genouscust omst her el ati
onshi pduri
ngcour tshipwer e
monitored by el der s. In essence t he elders woul d f ir
st
acknowledget herelationshipbef oretheboypr oposedort hegi r
l
acceptedt hepr oposal .Howevert heseday stheel dersnol onger
haveasi gnifi
cantr ol e.cour tshi pisnow i nt hehandsoft he
peoplei nt he r el
ationship and no ot herexternalpeopl e are
consideredsi gnifi
cant .Howev eri nsomer el
igiousci r
clest he
rel
igi
ousl eader smoni tort
her elat i
onship.Thisrev eal
ssimi l
ari
ty
duetot hef actthatelder sareal soi ncludedinthemoni tori
ngt he
rel
ati
onshi palthought heseelder sar enotfamilymember s
4)In indigenous pr act
ices the coupl e in cour t
ship wer e
discouraged nott o endul ge intosexualacti
vit
ies.A girlwas
encouragedt omant ainhervirginit
yupt omar r
iage.Howev erin
thecont empor arypracti
sesthei deai sdif
fer
ent.Proposi
ngl ove
toagi r
lisconsi dered asaskingf orsex.Acouplecanengagei n
sexualintercoursebef or
emar ri
age.Theycangooutt ogetherfor
thewhol enight

5)Ther eistheissueofndumai nindi

genouscour t
shipwhi chis
similartotheengagement sincont
empor arycour
tship.Ndumai s
apr omi seformar ri
agewhi chwasmar kedbyt heexchangeof
tokens. Thesuitorgiveshisgir
lfr
iendanengagementr ingasa
promi seformarriage.Theconceptsshowst hesi
mi l
arit
iesinthe
indi
genousandcont emporarycour
tshi
ppr acti
ces

QUESTI
ONS

Def
inewhati
smeantbyt
hef
oll
owi
ng

1(
i)Bi
rt
hri
te(
2)

i
i)
Deat
hri
te(
2)

1)
Expl
ainwhati
smusengaber
e(2)

2)
Whyhasmusengaber
ebeenabandonedt
oday
?(2)

3)Intr
adit
ionalcour
tshippract
icesandboyandagi
rlexchanged
tokensinf
orm of..
..
..and..
..
.(2)

4)
Giv
eoner
easonwhyt
okensar
eexchanged(
2)

5)
Bri
efl
ydescr
ibet
hezul
ucour
tshi
ppr
act
ice(
7)

6)
Listanyt
hreedat
ingpl
atf
ormsf
oundi
nZi
mbabwe(
3)
7)
Descr
ibet
heTongacour
tshi
ppr
act
ise(
5)

8)Li
st t
he adv
ant
ages and di
sadv
ant
ages of i
ndi
genous
court
shi
p(6)

9)
whati
scour
tshi
p(3)

10)
Def
inet
hef
oll
owi
ngt
erms

(
i)cont
empor
arycour
tshi
p(2)

(
ii
)t
radi
tonalcour
tshi
p(2)

11)
Expl
aint
hef
oll
owi
ngcour
tshi
ppr
act
ices

i
)Rel
igi
ous(
2)

i
i)
Soci
al(
2)

i
ii
)West
ern(
2)

i
v)I
ndi
genous(
2)

(
Tot
almar
ks:
50)

ESSAYQUESTI
ONS

12)Usi
ngacasest udyofy ourchoicedescri
becont
empor
ary
court
shipandt
radi
ti
onalcour
tshi
ppract
ices(
10)

13)
Eval
uat
ethecont
empor
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