ABSTRACT
Single blessedness is looked on as something abnormal and even a little sinister and marriage is regarded as right and proper for all adults. This chapter discusses marriage among the Basutos and the ceremonies associated with it. Women usually get married after initiation or on leaving school, between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four. Marriage used to be, and to some extent still is, approached from the family standpoint. In choosing a wife for the senior son, the family is influenced by two considerations—the girl's suitability and her family standing. Normally the wedding is held shortly after the marriage has been arranged. If they cannot afford the expenses entailed, many families agree to postpone the wedding to some future date and let the couple begin their married life at once. Many modern weddings now revolve round a religious ceremony held in the church to which the bride belongs.
