Zizipho Poswa

uDuli V Miniature is a maquette based on South African artist, Zizipho Poswa’s ceramic and bronze series, iLobola  which pays homage to the spiritual offering at the heart of the ancient African custom of lobola, or bride-wealth: the cow. Whereas traditionally the groom’s family would gift a certain number of cows to the bride’s family after a process of negotiation between the two parties, in more recent times the animals are often replaced by a monetary payment – leading the practice to be viewed as more commercial in nature. But this obscures the primary purpose of lobola, says Poswa – that of ukwakhiwa kobuhlobo, the building of relations between the two families.

uDuli refers to the entourage leading the new bride to the home of her in-laws for the indigenous wedding ceremony that follows immediately after iLobola. This usually happens when umakoti is to be received and welcomed by the family of the groom.