New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-15
A KAFFIR WEDDING.
THE PREiIMINARIE3 AND THE CEREMONIES
BRIDEs VALUED IN cows
From The African Review.

BRIDES VALUED IN cows
From The African Review.
Marriage among natives OF South Africa %
very much matter Of pounds. shillings and
pence shorn Of the glamour OF romance by The
fact that the bride is estimated at so many
COWS or oxen by her calous and practical
father The Kat'ir patriarch rejoices in a multi
pcity Of daughters. FOR they are truly the props
~ his old age. and each dusky damsel taken o6
his hands ny an ardent sutton means an in
creas. 10 his herds calculated with mathemau-
cal precision. according to the rank OF the
brides father. For instance. the hereditary
chief IN charge II 4 tribe when parting with his
daughter need set no bounds 10 his bovine am
btion. and the legend Brides are cheap to-
day" Is meaningless 20 one OF such exalted rank
4 mere appointed chief in charge Of d ,ribs
dares not demand more than twenty head Of
cattle for mis- daughter. but ten head IS the
average payment made The ordinary Ka!ir
has three or four wives. and when he has been
in service with his white master sufficiently
long TO acquire the amount necessary 10 obtan
the desire " his heart. he returns 10 his
cestral halls. and. after a brief courtship, makes
his selection in the "kai!lr market" and pro-
poses to the father. No presents are made to
the bridesmaids. for there none 10 PRESENT:
but that much maligned individual the mother
in law. Is duly recognized by the heather. for
she invariably receives a cow from her s0n-in-
law elect.
Kafilr modistcs receive few commissions from
natives for trousseaus. The bride dyes her hair
for the wedding morn. not with Mrs Aliens
best. but with red clay. the symbol and badge
Of every married woman. The ceremony Is usu.
ally very picturesque. and in that land = sun
shine takes place In the open. The officiating
clergy consist Of terribly pompous Individual
called the official witness" who publicly asks
the woman in the presence OF her assembled
friends and relatives whether she gives her full
and free consent To the union, and in the event
OF repentance at the last moment he Instantly
stops the marriage rites. The wedding break.
fast is both primitive and satisfying II con.
sists OF cattle or goats slaughtered for the oc-
cason. and large calabasheS Of "utywala,' or
Kafilr beer. an intoxcant brewed from a graln
resembling miet. ON the coast vile concoc-
ton of trcIcle and water. called "istyimy ana
IL in great request.
When the marriage is announced. il produces
nuttcr in the neighboring kraals and the
braves of any tribe not on speaking terms Win
the brides people make II the occasion for
hostile demonstration. known subsequently 10
the avenGing law as a faction fight The unin-
vltcd generally approach the scene ~ the cere..
mony armed with assegais and knobkerrics ana
when the ceremony IL at 4 most interesting
point challenge the able bodied guests TO come
forth to skrmish Several OF the latter who
have drunk OF the "utywala" not wisely Dut
too well sally forth to avenge the insult. anu
mid rival jecrs and taunts do their level pest
To break each others heads. Blows are gwen
and taken. but the average katr's head ~ ~
cast steel The women. too. are not bchindhaha-
and urge on the cOmbatants with strong Minus
az to their degeneracy from the days u yore
and in one case when several Of their nIuIeu
foes tried to rise, fced them to the ground WIN
Nat stones. When the intruders are driven OH:
the wounded brought into the kraai, anu
the whole assemblai.e sits far into the nisnr
drinking beer and "feasting on red flesh" III .m'
rude awakening In the morning. when the incur
cine-man or herbalist Is called in TO bind ING
broken limbs and minister to the black slaves u
Overindulgenca