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The purpose of this site is to try and get the world to start dealing with the interaction between culture and success in a mature and intelligent manner. Poll: Do you believe culture influences success? Yes 69.01% No 19.5% Uncertain 11.4% - Newest Articles - Per capita income figures for the countries and regions of the world. While rarely read this is Gandhi's most important written work. The traditional explanation for the noticeable differences in income across cultures was to say that they differed in their level of civilization. - Categories - - All Articles - Per capita income figures for the countries and regions of the world. While rarely read this is Gandhi's most important written work. The traditional explanation for the noticeable differences in income across cultures was to say that they differed in their level of civilization. This 1920 work by Roger Babson is a classic with in its genre. It promotes the traditional, pre-1960s explanation for the connection between success and culture. Current events in Zimbabwe are giving us an unprecedented opportunity to measure and judge the effect of white settlement and colonization in Africa. Average US Incomes by Race, Ethnicity and Religion. Max Weber's claim that Protestantism is more conducive to success than Catholicism and that Calvinism is in particular more successful is widely repeated and rarely examined. We need to recognize that culture is the personality of a group or race and we must see culture and having seen it, make it a work of art. The moral justification for welfare is supposed to be that we are temporarily helping out our fellow man through a rough stretch of road or helping the disabled permanently. If it is to become a system for continually transferring wealth from one group to another the people behind this change owe us an explanation. The great taboo of our age is not speaking about race, but speaking about culture. Bourgeoisie is more than just a term of abuse used by the Left, it refers to a real people who led real lives. Selections from the Federal Outlook Selections from a 1960's Rhodesian newspaper. How Africa Underdeveloped Africa Africa is the poorest place in the world. Why? Will Famine Come to Zimbabwe? The end of commercial farming in Zimbabwe could plunge the country into famine. The Tragedy of the Zimbabwe Commons Communally owned property always has and always will suffer from the 'tragedy of the commons' problem. Band Aid Africa recieves $15 billion a year in aid. Is it helping? |
By the REV. C. E. SEAGER, M.A.
The marriage practices of the Makalana have changed where foreign influences have reached them. Where those influences have not penetrated, the older customs remain unchanged.
Malobola has always been the binding part of a marriage. It was a gift from the bridegroom to the home from which the bride came. When it was paid, the bride became the bridegroom's legal wife, and she could not have relations with any other man. If the marriage was broken, the malobola had to be repaid.
If a man, A, wished to marry B, the daughter of C, he sent a friendit could be anyoneto ask her parents for her. C and his wife would then call all or some of their relatives, and he would ask them whom they thought should be B's husband. They would suggest someoneperhaps they would suggest four namesand then C would answer, "I know A, and I am going to give her to him." If they agreed, they chose a spokesman to take a dry skin to A as a sign of agreement, but if they did not agree to him they would not send the skin. A had to soften the skin and then return it. It was not used for any particular purpose afterwards. The relatives might choose to test A to see If he was olstlitnt and could be looked upon as one likely to cooperate in the kraal. They might, for instance, send him for firewood before exchanging any gifts. If A made mistakes in his speech or was a poor servant, these facts were noted and had to be paid for later.
When the bride was to be given, A would give six goats, each of which had a name, as follows:
1. Boho, meaning Thanksgiving. 2. Tjinyadzamilomo, being food for the council of relatives. 3. Madlananga, which was the doctor's expenses for the girl when born and when attended in infancy. 4. Kulukulu, for the bride's mother and expressing thanks for carrying her in the womb. 5. Manwatsogo. This was for the bride, but was not given if she was not a virgin. 6. Meho. This was also for the bride and under the same condition.
After the goats had been given, if the girl was fullgrown, oil and red paint were mixed in her hair to indicate her maturity. The bridegroom was now allowed to visit B and could stay in the kraal for a few days and help, for instance, in the fields. B now belonged to A in a sense, but was still subject to her parents.
When Spring came, Hika or Nseula, a large quantity of beer was made and the people were called to plough the motherinlaw's field. This was meant to show that the soninlaw helps his motherinlaw to get more food. On the day that the ploughing ended food would be given to the helpers, and B would go to A's home to be tested. She would be given the lighting of fires, sweeping, gathering firewood, the stamping of grain, and so on. Everybody would give her work and she would have to be obedient and try to do all the tasks given to her without becoming exhausted. She would return home at the end of the testing.
If the bride was not already fullgrown, when she reached adult life the bridegroom would send women to ask for the bride for the second time. The parents would agree, but would say that they themselves would send her. Beer would be made again. B's parents would tell A's parents that they will take B to him on a certain evening. A party of ten or more women would go with B. About a mile from the kraal they would start singing and go on singing until they reached it. The bridegroom would pay nobo (a hoe, a pick or a goat), which would be intended for the parents. If A was poor he would go and take his bride, paying something, but avoiding the expense the women incur.
The soninlaw would then give two goats. The first was called
Bandanenyanga and the second Bobola or Bandanenyanga holo wayo.
The latter was taken to the father of the bride.
When the bride was taken to the bridegroom she was still wearing the dress of girlhood (a fringe of beads), but in time it would be changed for a goatskin. After a month A would take a goat and have it killed. Then a man would soften the skin and give it to the women, telling them to take the skin, goats and the bride and another woman to her mother and have her dressed as a woman. When they reached the home they would give the motherinlaw a living goat and say, "This is the strap for your dress." They would give the skin to the bride and say, "Dress as a woman. You are the bride of A." This is the second sign of marriage. The bride would go home then to the bridegroom and was his full W wife.
After a time B's parents would think of obtaining the dowry. A would pay 11 goats to his parentsinlaw, as follows:
1. Zwele. This belongs to B's father.
2. Lomowezwele, that is, the mouth of Zwele.
3. Hunu ayo, that is, the kid of Zwele.
4, 5, 6. Similarlynamed goats belonging to B's mother just as 1, 2 and 3 belong to her father.
7. Enatenini, a goat given to her father's young brother.
8. Nsebeweadzwadzi, a goat given to a brother of the bride by the same mother.
9. Yabusekukwi, given to the bride's maternal uncle.
10. Yabama adzi, given to the bride's paternal aunt.
11. Bila, a goat given to the bride's grandfather.
In addition to these 11 goats, two more were given
1. Luguta, being the hedge of the kraal; and
2. Unamatsa, the goat which was sent with the original messenger.
These goats then constitute the malobola. Before goats were owned by the Makalana they used leads bought from the Boers or the Portuguese.