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Untitled
Untitled
Authored by Zivave W
(PhD) @0773902626.
Marriage as interlink between the ancestors, the living and the future generation:
All generations are said to be connected together because of marriage, the past,
present and future generation are jettisoned together through marriage. The past
generation are represented by the elders, the present generation is represented by
one’s own life and the future is represented by the bearing of children.
Building a family: A family is built around and extended through child bearing. It is
considered tragic if the marriage fails to produce children. As such, mechanisms
are put in place to make sure the family is extended for example through chimutsa
mapfiwa, Chigadzamapfiwa and kugaranhaka.
Improvement of one’s status: Marriage puts the individual and his family on the
social, religious and physical map of the community (Mbiti). A person is recognised
as a holistic person when he/she gets married. The more the children a person has
the higher the status he has. This is the reason why the person who is not married
or delayed in getting married is given derogatory names like pfunda, tsikombi,
mumvana. According to Mbiti “without marriage a person is only a human being
minus”. As such, marriage upgrades one’s status in society.
However:
Stress: It causes stress on one of the married partners and even in-laws.