Umtshato Wesintu samaXhosa: Imigaqo, Izindlu, neSithethe seLobola

Kwisithethe samaXhosa ngaphakathi kwamaNguni, umtshato wawusoloko ungowokutshata ngaphandle kwesizalwane (exogamy).

Umntwana ngamnye wazalwa kwiklanini yobudoda (patrilineal), yaye ukutshata ngaphakathi kwaloo klani kwakuthathwa njengolwaphulo-mthetho olukhulu.

KumaXhosa, kwakuphetshwa nokutshata kwiiklanini zooomakhulu nootatomkhulu bonke abane.

Umtshato wawungowokuhlala emzini womyeni (virilocal), kwaye amadoda acebileyo okanye iinkosi ezinobutyebi beenkomo ayenokutshata abafazi abaninzi, maxa wambi babe bane abane okanye nangaphezulu.

Izikhundla zabafazi zazahlulwa ngeZindlu: iGreat House neRight-Hand House, logama abanye abafazi babebizwa amaqadi, oko kukuthi “izixhaso” zezi zindlu ziphambili.

IGreat Wife yayinoxanduva lokuzala iGreat Son, indlalifa yesikhundla sikayise.

IRight-Hand Son naye wayenokuba yintloko, eneemfuyo nabalandeli bakhe, kodwa wayelindeleke ukuba aseke umzi omtsha okanye ubukhosi kwindawo entsha.

Xa iGreat Wife itshatwa emva kwexesha, iGreat Son iba mncinci kunoRight-Hand Son omdala—oku kwakudala ukhuphiswano, de kube nokuxhwithwa kobukhosi okanye ukwahlukana kobukhosi.

Kwiingxoxo zomtshato, ukudluliselwa kweenkomo ikazi (lobola) kwakutywina umanyano kwaye kuhlawule ilahleko yomsebenzi wentombi kwikhaya lakowabo.

Ikazi yayikwalukhuselo: xa umtshakazi ephathwa kakubi, wayenokubuyela kubazali, aze umzi womyeni uphulukane neenkomo.

Abavangeli bakudala bakugweba oku, besithi “kukuthengwa komtshakazi,” kodwa loo ngcinga yayingachanekanga.

Namhlanje imitshato emininzi yenzeka ecaweni okanye enkundleni kamantyi, kodwa ilobola ayikapheli; ihlala ihlawulwa ngemali elingana nexabiso lemarike yeenkomo.

Emva komtshato, umakoti wayelindeleke abonise intlonipho: angaweli intendelezo ngqo, angangeni esibayeni, aze isidima sakhe sikhule ngokuzala nangokukhula kwabantwana de, emva kokuphela kweminyaka yokuya exesheni,

asondele kwinqanaba lamadoda kwimibhiyozo nasemadini.