Lobolo and the Wedding Payment, South Africa

Lobolo or lobola (roughly translated to “bride price”), is the practice of the groom offering a money to the bride’s father, in exchange for her hand in marriage. It’s a traditional custom among Bantu tribes of South Africa including the Xhosa, Zulu, and Ndebele. This is meant to unify two families and also prove that the groom can support his new wife. In days of yore, the price was expressed through the gift of cattle, which represented significant wealth. Today, cash is viewed as more practical, especially in urban settings.