Shona Tribe
The Shona are one of the original peoples and the largest ethnic group of modern-day Zimbabwe. Today the Shona people are divided into sub-ethnic groups within the areas, which consist of the Karanga, Manyika, Zezuru, Kore-Kore, and Ndau. You can also find large Shona communities in Mozambique, southern Zambia, and Malawi. Colonial borders created rigid distinctions between what would have otherwise been a congruent cultural space.
Since the early formation of the Kingdom (Shona Tribe), they followed a steep political organization of lineage. This descent formation was mainly patriarchal, with men belonging to their father’s families and married women joining their husband’s kith and kin. These lineages will be significant in ordering the marriage rituals and customs in Shona society.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhYRqcnzaV4
Source: BRIAN MBULAWA
The bride’s father will receive the dowry after the groom has fulfilled other financial requirements. The dowry comes in cash or a cow—most people now pay money. The ceremony ends with a party, after which the groom is welcomed as a son-in-law.
Shona Marriage Custom
Marriage is a highly celebrated phenomenon among African people. It is one of the important institutions among the Shona. In the Shona culture, there are many traditional customary marriage practices, each with a sequence of rituals and negotiations. Thus, ordinarily, formal marriage necessitates the consent of both families and is a process that involves a series of procedures that can go on for months, if not years.
Central to the Shona marriage traditions is the institution of rural, the payment of the bride price. The Shona would be negotiated between both families and can be paid in cattle or cash.
Zvidikil Zvibinge
These are small items on the list. Before the ceremony, a grocery list is given to the groom’s family, of which every request in the list must be met. For example, the bride’s family asks for a wooden plate from the Munyai (matchmaker), and if he has brought one, he presents it.
Kutema ugariri (working for a wife),
This mechanism or approach is adopted when a man cannot pay the roora through traditional cattle payments. Usually, this method is used by poorer households or orphans. Kutema ugariri, as a system, allows a man to get married by serving an in-law in exchange for a wife by offering informal or formal labour services. By the end of his services, he can claim his wife. The option of kutema ugariri affords disadvantaged members an alternative route to marriage if they cannot pay through the traditional use of cattle.
Kuzvarira (child pledging)
It’s a situation in which parents give their daughters away for marriage to a rich person or someone wealthier than them in exchange for cattle, food, or other valuables. This form of marriage is instituted by a family when under financial stress or economic deprivation. In many cases, kuzvarira is seen as a last resort. This form of roora was not done arbitrarily. It was often met and negotiated upon the family before a child was pledged to the in-law family.
Kuganha (imposing one’s self in marriage)
This is a unique method of marriage when a woman identifies a man she desires to marry. This is an opportunity for a woman to choose a man who could marry her. It differs from the formal way of a man initially picking a wife. In this case, the man can be a bachelor or married person. Traditionally this would be acceptable to a polygamous union, where a woman was getting older and needed to marry. Usually, men would not refuse the offer and take in the women. After taking in the woman, they would then make payments to the women’s family to finalize the marriage.
Vhuramuromo
At this stage, a small fee is paid for greeting the guests; this is where fines may be imposed if the groom fails to meet an earlier date, even if he notified the family in advance. This is done, however, in humor to make the many feel comfortable.
Conclusion
The Shona marriage is an elaborate socio-cultural event involving a long bond between the couple. Most of these Shona wedding traditions are still practiced today, as many couples see the relevance and fun in having them as part of the wedding celebration. In modern times, the influence of the family over marriage has eroded, but many institutions of Shona marriage customs endure.
