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 Novices come out in pairs, kneel down, and act as if they were pounding millet in the traditional Venda fashion, stamping their pestles into prepared holes in the ground. Each girl must take her turn at pounding and singing solo (-sima), whilst the others sing a simple chorus to the sound Ahee! Shyness and almost inaudible voices seem to be the order of the day, even in the case of girls whom I knew as uninhibited soloists in the girls' dance, tshigombela. The words of the song, Domba Song No. 5, are characteristic of pounding songs. |
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All novices must 'pound millet' in the traditional Venda fashion, in a hole in the ground (which would normally have been 'plastered' in the same way as a hut floor). The master supervises their attempts to sing the solo part of pounding songs.
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Matrilateral cross-cousin marriage occurs chiefly in commoner clans, and patrilateral cross-cousin marriage in noble clans. In neither case, however, could it be called preferred marriage.
Lesson
This reminds girls that a young wife must prepare food for her husband, and possibly for his mother (see mulayo No. 193). Women are also expected to know at least some words of pounding songs. |
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