The newest app attempts give the existing-ages African traditions from lobola on the today’s technology-driven globe
An alternative application used to estimate lobola has brought Southern Africa from the storm, with quite a few feminine (and you can guys) utilizing it to ascertain how much he could be worth
App developer Robert Matseneng has established a beneficial Lobola Calculator – a software which enables visitors to measure how many cows it can be worth.
Lobola, or magadi as it is entitled within my society, is actually a longstanding lifestyle in which men will pay a certain price having a beneficial woman’s turn in wedding. In past times, the cost would be paid in the type of cows, but these months money is an even more important solution to pay lobola.
Out of fascination, We downloaded the brand new application observe exactly what so it barometer getting used to measure a women’s really worth in people was about.
But in truth, this would be an absurd amount of money to inquire of to possess
On top of other things, the newest app explores a female’s level, lbs as well as how attractive she actually is (between “extremely sizzling hot” to help you “not really”), attributes I think have absolutely nothing to do with how much cash lobola one should spend. Used, questions relating to their unique training while the level of pupils she’s could be taken under consideration by the parents in it after negotiations have started.
According to the application, once factoring all order Norfolk, NE bride of these within the, my loved ones you are going to require lobola from R74,500 personally – roughly the same as 9 actual cattle. My father might be very delighted.
A prospective suitor could well be in the same many years once i am and you may wouldn’t likely be capable pay for that form of money. The brand new cost away from lobola, and you will planning for life following wedding, is actually a factor many families to take into consideration ahead of settling on a price.
Matseneng should get kudos for having the fresh new app query users so you can mean whether they is female and male. This shows that the app isn’t particularly geared towards women. That being said, we cannot ignore the proven fact that it application aims at female more it is during the men.
A good Nigerian equivalent of the new lobola software, Bride-to-be Rates, was launched last year. Bride-to-be Price uses a more specific barometer inside figuring an excellent woman’s worth; it considers their particular preparing efficiency, complexion, if or not she’s tattoos, and you may whether or not this woman is “prayer warrior” otherwise “club girl”.
We have arrive at just remember that , lobola is not on the purchasing a woman, but instead regarding the integrating family till the event – within my community, meeting the target bridegroom and his awesome mothers constantly only happens immediately after represent lobola have chosen to take place (or whenever a couple drops expecting outside of matrimony). Bringing Mandla otherwise Tshepo family to own a weekend is highly frowned upon within my family members, as it is in a lot of other black colored household.
Although there try noble, cultural things about lobola a large number of individuals nevertheless want to hold onto, one cannot deny this new patriarchal character of the behavior – good female’s value is claimed to decrease with regards to the matter from people this lady has and you will, in many cases, whether or not she is a great virgin or perhaps not. This traditional is not used on men.
There is a clue of humour so you can software such as (Matseneng claims you to “really it had been all of the a tale”) but, given that attitudes of morality and you may respectability are often used to police ladies behaviour, it is quite frustrating.
Who will forget the swimming instructor, Tim Osrin, whom beat up a women who had been taking walks down the trail, up coming justified their procedures by the claiming the guy think she try a sex employee (on the implication you to definitely sex gurus invite and you will deserve violence), and/or guys just who removed and you may beat an early woman on good Johannesburg taxi rating given that they she dared to wear an effective mini dress.