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The Kugarira Custom

by H. Gripps

The word kugarira is derived from kugara to sit, to live at or, to wait for. This is one of the marriage customs practised by the indigenous Africans.

Mugariri is a man who waits for or lives at the home of his chosen mate. He may begin his vigil while his chosen one is quite a small girl or he may begin when she is grown up and they commence to live as man and wife.

The suitor approaches his future fatherinlaw, Tezwara, through a relative or friend Samakuru, or, Munyai who makes the suitor's intentions known by asking Tezwara for a plate. When the plate is produced he puts 2s. 6d. in it and says "We wish to ask permission to speak about a matter between our family and yours." If permission is granted the Munyai then tells Tezwara, or a close relative of his, what he has come to speak about. He then pays Mabvunzo the asking or engagement fee of from 12s. 6d. to 30s. After the fee is paid negotiations may then be commenced and Mukwambo, the soninlaw, may speak with his Tezwara. Before acceptance of Mabvunzo he is not allowed to see or speak to his Tezwara. After the fee is paid the girl is known as his wife.

If the Mukwambo is a poor man and cannot pay chuma, lobola, the parties may agree that he will live at his wife's kraal and work for her parents until a daughter of his is married, when the chuma received for her will be handed over to Tezwara for her mother's chuma. Mukwambo is then free to leave and set up a home for himself.

The Ugariry, service marriage, as described may be of long duration unless the firstborn is a girl and her early marriage is arranged and chuma is paid in advance or Tezwara is of a trusting and broadminded nature such I fear are few and difficult to come by in actual life. The custom is gradually disappearing with the advance of enlightenment and earning capacity of the African. The spiritual side however, is more tenacious and refuses to give way as will be seen from the following case.

Robson met and fell in love with Nhambu the daughter of Stephen who lived in a tribal trust land in about 1950. A marriage was arranged in the normal manner of the kugarira custom with a difference the difference being this. When Stephen died he decreed that Nhambu should never leave his kraal to get married. If she married, her husband would have to be a mugariri for ever. This decree was passed on to his mudzimu, spirit, which has insisted on the letter of the law as decreed by Stephen. Robson and Nhamba lived at her Father's kraal for some years and had several children. Life went along happily until Robson got tired of serving the family and went away to work on a nearby farm. He raised enough money to pay his chuma for Nhambu and after a lot of negotiating persuaded Nhambu's guardian to accept £40 and took his family to live with him at place of work. The guardian took the precaution to consult a witchdoctor, nganga or chiremba, In Portuguese East Africa where all the best witchdoctors are believed to operate. The nganga went to work on the £40 and informed his visitor that the spirit of Stephen agreed to waive the spell.

Robson and Nhambu by this time had five children and were living happily until one day Tirarami, the firstborn fell ill. His condition grew critical and a nganga was consulted. His vertict was that the grandfather's spirit was displeased. Tirarami died Nhamburo then fell ill with the same symptoms as her brother Tirarami the nganga gave the same answer Grandfather's spirit was very disturbed. Nkamburo died in due course. Nhambu became restive and consulted with her guardian and family 'What should be done?' Her father's spirit was obviously displeased. Masodzi then fell ill with biripiri measles. The nganga, a different one this time, gave the same verdict as in the cases of Tirarami and Mhamburo Masodzi died.

Nhambu decided to return to her home but Robson was very adverse and would not let her go. There were endless quarrels and bickerings and while these family troubles were going on over a long period the fourth child, a baby named Tomba, became ill. The nganga again diagnosed that the trouble was coming from the grandfather's kraal. The illness of Tombi was a long one. She eventually died and again the nganga pronounced that grandfather's Mudzimu was the cause of the death.

Grandfather's Mudzimu was now really wrathful and was determined to be obeyed. It was now Nhambu's turn to be struck down she became ill and lost weight rapidly she pleaded with her husband, Robson, to let her and the only remaining child, Mupfirna, return to her home and allow her guardian to refund his £40. He obstinately refused and then Mupfirwa started to all and to lose weight. The position was now desperate. Robson suggested a visit to a famous nganga over the border. The result was similar to the previus ones and they were advised to take the case to the chief's Dare court. The chief avised Robson to return his wife and surviving child to the old home and to receive his £40 of cursed money back. This he very reluctantly agreed to do but added, "The curse must first be exorcised from the money before I will accept it." The curse was removed by a nganga and Robson received the £40. Mupfirwa and Nhambu are now back at home both restored to health, from all appearances. A divorce is now pending in the Native Commissioner's court.

The chapter of tragedies enumerated above just goes to show how implicitly the African believes in the power of the spirits, and shrinks from breaking with tradition especially when dictated by the family spirits.

The psychological effect of the four deaths no doubt caused Nhambu to lose weight. Who would not after losing so many children and then seeing the last remaining one beginning to fade away too? It would take a very strong character indeed to stand up to such tragedies without becoming ill with fear and suspense.

Notes

Mugarira - Son-in-law

Mukwambo - Son-in-law

NOTES

Ugarira - Service marriage
Kugarira -
Tezwara - To sit, live at, or wait for
Samukuru - Father-in-law
Munyai - Go between
Mabvunzo -Go between
Chuma - Engagement fee asking fee
Nganga - Lobola Witchdoctor or diviner
Chiremba - Witchdoctor or diviner
Mudzimu - Family spirit
Midzimu - Family spirit