A thesis submitted in fulfillment ofr the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the department of iSizulu namaGugu, in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Zululand, 2002. / Lomsebenti ucubungula ligalelo lemasiko nenkholo yebantfu ekutalweni kabusha kwe-Afrika kubukwe kakhulu sive semaSwati. lolucwaningo lubuka kutsi emasiko abaluleke ngani futsi yini lengentiwa kubuyisela sitfunti semuntfu wendzabuko ngobe naku phela live selihleli ngeludzengelo. Kantsi futsi kubukwe nenkholo yebantfu kutsi mbamba mbamba ikhona yini nekutsi ngabe icabane ngani netinkholo letefika nebachamuki.

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of African Languages in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2003. / Nowadays marriage, especially the European civil marriage is considered as holiest-of holiest, as looked against the customary or traditional marriage. It is thus why Umtsimba-the traditional bridal party-is looked down upon. Indeed those who marry the customary way are considered as barbarians who know nothing, uneducated. This is because we have taken as respectable, the civil marriage-which according to the European culture as Christian marriage, and yet even that, is the same as the customary or traditional marriage because people marry one another. What appears, and which also is irrefutable truth, is that civil marriage IS In accordance with European culture religion which has been attached to European religion. Evidence of this is that the civil marriage, begins in court and, when divorce occurs, ends in court. What makes customary marriage to be looked down upon is that all African things are despised, yet there are no laws prohibiting that which is intrinsically traditional custom of the African people. CHAPTER ONE expresses the aims of this research, which also is what caused that it and all that has been done in this chapter, be written. Even the enthusiasm that caused the writing of this research, has been adequately displayed. The methods used to obtain suffident information concerning this research have also been thoroughly explained. CHAPTER TWO deals with the weather conditions, more especially that of Mphumalanga and Swaziland areas where most Swazis are found. A short story on the origins of the Swazis has also been given. The Christian faith as well as traditional religion. CHAPTER THREE concerns the different categories (in the social structure) so that different should be known between intfombi (maiden), makoti (young Wife), umlobokati (the betrothed), malukatane (daughter-in-law) and umfati (woman / Wife). The various designations have been given in years so that it can be easier to understand the differences relative their social development. CHAPTER FOUR deals deeply into all that relates to the Swazi umtsimba as it is. Falling in love / getting married of the umlobokati (the one who has been lobolwared), kuhlambisana kwetinkhomo (the reciprocal acknowledgement relationships by the families concerned) have been adequately explained. CHAPTER FIVE clearly explains what happens after the intfombi have been married. The lobola cattle have been explained as well as why lobola has to be paid. The kushiswa kwetinyongo (the burning of the gallbladders) winds up the whole umtsimba ceremony. CHAPTER SIX sums up the whole research exercise. Recommendations concerning this research show clearly what is commendable and should be maintained in order to preserve and keep the Swazi culture intact. The whole exercise stands on this that people must get back to their own customs, if culture, and let alone customs from foreign cultures. Let the people celebrate umtsimba because this is their way of getting married. = Kulamalanga lesiphila kuwo umshado ikakhulu Iona wesilumbi utsatfwa njengal<:mgcwelengcwele kunalona wesintfu. Kungako umtsimba sewunyembenywa nje. Vele labatekana ngendlela yesintfu batsatfwa njengemacaba langati lutfo. Ingani umshado wesilumbi lolisiko labo belumbi kepha lesesiwutsatsa ngekutsi uyinkholo, uhlonishwa kakhulu kube nanawo uyefana nalowesintfu ngobe kusuke kutekwana. Lokuvelako futsi lokulidniso lelingeke nani laphikiswa kutsi umshado wesilumbi ulisiko lesilumbi leleyanyiswe nenkholo yesilumbi. Bufakazi baloko kutsi umshado wesilumbi ucala enkantolo nanome sekwehlukanwa futsi uphelela khona. Lokwenta kutsi kutsatsana ngesintfu kubukelwe phansi kutsi vele tonkhe tintfo tesintfu tibukelwa phansi kantsi ayikho nemitsetfo levikela loku lokuyinsila yebantfu SEHLUKO SEKUCALA sibeka ebaleni inhloso yalolucwaningo. Lekungiko lekwenta kutsi kubhalwe lolucwaningo nako kuvetiwe kulesehluko. Inshisekelo lenta kutsi kubhalwe lolucwaningo nave ibhaliwe ngalokwanele. Tindlela lekusetjentiswe tona kute kutsi kutfolakale Iwati lolwanele ngalolucwaningo nato tibhaliwe ngalokuphelele. SEHLUKO SESIBIU sibuke simo selitulu ikakhulukati, sendzawo yaseMphumalanga naseSwatini lapho kutfolakala khona emaSwati lamanyenti. Umlandvo lomfisha ngemvelaphi yemaswati nawo uchaziwe. EmaSwati bantfu lebalandzela inkholo yebuKhristu nenkholo yesintfu. SEHLUKO SESITSATFU sicondzene netigaba tebantfu ngekwehlukana kwabo. Tigaba tehlukanisiwe kuze bawati umehluko lokhona emkhatsini wentfombi namakoti, umlobokati, malukatane kanye nemfati. Tigaba talabadvuna nato tichaziwe ngekwehlukana kwato. Tigaba tebantfwana tehlukanisiwe ngeminyaka khona kutewubalula kucondzisisa kahle umehluko. SEHLUKO SESINE sijule kakhulu emtsimbeni unjalo. Kugana kwemlobokati, kuhlabisana ngalokuphelele. wonkhe wesiSwati njengobe kwetinkhomo kuchaziwe SEHLUKO SESIHLANU seneka ebaleni lekwentekako nangabe intfombi seyitekiwe. Tinkhomo temalobolo tichaziwe kanye nekutsi kulotjolelwani. Kushiswa kwetinyongo kusonga wonkhe umtsimba kutsi sewuphelele. SEHLUKO SESITFUPHA sisonga wonkhe umsebenti welucwaningo sewuphelele. Tincomo ngalolucwaningo tikuveta ebaleni lekutusekako lekumele kutsi kulandzelwe kute kutsi emasiko esiSwati ahlale agcinekile. Lomsebenti wonkhe ume ekutseni bantfu ababuyele emasikweni abo bayekele emasiko ebantfu bekuchamuka. Bantfu ababuyele bagidze umtsimba wesintfu ngobe ngiyona ndlela yabo yekuteka umfati.