The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-05
A KAFFIR WEDDING.
The PreIfmlnaries and 4hc CeremO-
MES Are Interesting Sights.

The PreItmlnartes and the CeremO-
MES Are Interesting Sights.
From the African Review.
Marriage among natives of South Africa
is very much a matter of pounds, shilungs
and pence, shorn of the glamor of ro-
nance by the fact that the bride is tsti-
mated at so many cows or oxen by Ter
Callous and practical father The Kaffir
patriarch rejoices in a multiplicity OF
daughters, for they are truly the props
of his old age, and each dusky damsel
taken off his hands by an ardent sutton
means an increase to his herds calculated
with mathematical precision, according tc
the rank of the brides father For in
stance, the hereditary chief in charge Ct
tribe when parting with his daughter
need set no bounds to his bovine ambi-
ton and the legend Brides are cheap to-
day" is meaningless to one of such exalted
rank. A mere appointed chief in charge
of a tribe dares not demand more shan
twenty head Of cattle for his daughter
| but ten head is the average payment made
The ordinary Kaffir has three or four wives
and when he has been in service with his
white master sufficiently long to acquire
the amount necessary to obtain the desire
of his heart he returns to his ancestral
halls, and, after a brief courtship makes
his selection In the "Kaffir market" and
proposes-to the father. No presents are
made to the bridesmaids for there are
none to present; but that much-maligned
individual the mOther-in-law, is duly rec
ognized by the heather, for she invariably
receives a COW from her son-in-law- elect.
Kaffir modestes receive few commissions
form the natives for trousseaus. The bride
dyes her hair for the wedding morn, rot
with Mrs Aliens best, but with red clay,
the symbol and badge of every married
woman. The ceremony is unusually very
picturesque, and in that land of sunshine
takes place in the open. The officiating
clergy consists of a terrible pompous irdi-
Vidual called the Official Witness" VINO
publicly asks the woman in the presence of
her assembled friends and relatives WneJh-
er she gives her fun and free consent to the
union, and in the event of repentance at
the last moment he instantly stops tie
marriage rites. The wedding breakfast is
both primitive and satisfying. 1t consists
Of cattle or goats slaughtered for the Oc-
casion and large calabashes of "utywaia,
or Kaffr beer an intoXicanL brewed from
a grain resembling millet On the coast a
vile connection of treaCle and water, called
"lsitymiyana," is in great request.
When the marriage is announced 1t pro-
duces tlutter IN the neighboring kraals,
and the braves of any tribe not on speak
ing terms with the brides people make it
the occasion for a hostile demonstration
known subsequently to the avenging law
as faction fight. The unlimited generally
approach the scene of the ceremony armed
with assegais and knobkerries, and wnen
| the ceremony is at most interesting point
challenge the able-bodied guests to come
forth to skirmish. Several of the latter who
have drunk of the "utywala" not wisely
but too well sally forth 10 afenge the IN
suit, and mid rival jeers and taunts do
their level best to break each others
heads Blows are given and taken, but the
average Kaffir's head is as cast steel The
women, too, are not behind hand and urge
on the combatants with strong hints as "a
their deseneracy from the days of yore.
and in one case, wien several of their in
| jured foes tried 10 rise, felled them to the
ground with fiat stones. When the intrud-
ers are driven off the wounded are brought
into the kraal and the whole assembIage
sits far into the night, drinking beer ana
"feasting on red flesh" until the ruda
| awakening IN the morning, when the med
icine man, or herbalst is called in to bind
the broken limbs and minister to the blacl,
slaves OF oVerindulgence.