VALUES OF DUSKY BEAUTIES

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 20 February 1932, Page 16

VALUES OF DUSKY BEAUTIES

Ten Cattle Pay for a Bride

“ T>o L Y GAM-0 U.S customary mar- -*- r iaces are recognised.'’ This is one of the rules contained in an elaborate code of laws that the Native Affairs Deuartmcnt of the Dominion of South Africa aas just drafted for the government of the Zulus ami the tribes in the Natal province, writes Eric Rosenthal in the “San Francisco Chronicle.'' Wit a the aid of experienced old white officials and a host of kraal ancients, the 'State has .made a code that it is hoped will obviate the complicated lawsuiits hitherto a featuie of life a Natal. Similar measures of simplification and the recognition of traditional usages have been adopted in other section's of the In ion with groat success. Acknowledging that the races that have tried in a state of warfare and savagery until -the white man became “baas" two generations ago cannot change overnight, the authorities in Natal confined their efforts to a statement of native law, leaving the Parliament, the schools, and the missionaries to effect -gradual changes. Thus polvgamv and many otherwise forbidden institutions are officially recognised. All the ancient royal houses of Zululand have been left in charge of' their subjects, but all are obliged to obey the commands of the “great chief, namely -the Govcrnor-GeneraL Here is one of the c.-auses from the 1 fin 1 regulations: “Every native, on entering a Court or into the presence of a chief or officer (i.e., a policeman) snoul-d salute the superior officer with uplifted right hand and uncovered head, and likewise on leaving he should salute in a similar manner. Inferiors always salute first and the superior acknowledges the salute.’’ Most of the new laws as codified j tleal with family relationships, and more particularly with the system of polygamy under which every bridegroom must pay a price in cattle for ! each wife, which is known as lobolo. j The cpiotations for brides, as offieialIv laid down by the Government of the

Union of South Africa, are: . . I “A -daughter of a chief, no limit. ; “Daughter of a chief’s sou or uncle, i fifteen head of cat-tie. _ 1 “Daughter of a headman, chief s deputy, or official witness, fifteen head of entitle.’' “Any other native's daughter, ten ■ he;u! of cat t le. ’ ’ !-t. must not be thought that the ’ black beauties dislike being bought bind paid for. There is no greater.disgrace in the kraal than to be “given ! avav for nothing’’ by one’s father. And the code just issued ordains A‘Native women are not to be deemed ; nor treated in any way as property or ; chattels, notwithstanding any property ; rights that may be connected with or 'arise out of *thc customary unions (marriages) entered into by them.’’ j Another clause in the code reads as ! follows: “Any native who carries an ■ assegai (spear), intyumentyu (sword stick), battle axe, stick shod with iron, i or other dangerous weapon shall, unless jho is engaged in -some public duty or ; is a member of the police, or engaged i in hunting, be guilty of an offence.’’ j The Government has decided that ! all black medicine men or izinyanga zokwedepa (“those ski-lieu in heal- ' ing’ ’), must be licensed -by the State, : and the code reads: - j “A duly licensed medicine man or j herbalist may upon being consulted ; claim a retaining fee (ulugxa). 'Should ' a curse result a further fee is claim- ! abie, but should the treatment be inef- ] fective nothing more than the ulugxa i may be demanded.” There arc long regulations about j divorce, which may be granted for j reasons not tolerated by the white j men ’s courts, e.g., that one spouse has j been sentenced to a term of more than j live years’ imprisonment. War (lances - may not in future be given in the presence ol’ tourists without the special permission of the Native Affairs Hei part men t. j The black people highly approve of ' the new code, ami it is expected that ir will be in effect some time in 1D32.