Umgalelo and the failure of the church? : a study in voluntary associations in Mbekweni Paarl

Umgalelo are defined as "small-scale informal mutual benefit societies". The name is derived from the Xhosa verb ukugalela, "to pour forth, out, or in". In the old Xhosa- tradition it could be used as ukugatela iinkomo, to pour in cattle in competing for a wife. Two or more contestants for a wife would bid against each other with cattle, one beating the other by a higher price. Nowadays umgalelo refers associations which involve the "pouring mutual benefit and good fellowship. to the voluntary in" of money for In Zulu these associations are called maholisana from ukukhola, to pay. In Southern Sotho the name is 'ho amohedisana', literally meaning to make each other receive from the verb amhoela, 'to receive. This system of umgalelo began with the establishment of money economy among Africans in the gold and diamond mines at the end of the nineteenth century.

Grantor

Department of Religious Studies

Year dc:date.issued

1987

Author dc:creator

• Kokoali, Christian Tumelo

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Hodgson, Janet

• Religious Studies

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/40474

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/40474