See Child Abuse of the highest order...yes ooo...this photo you are looking at right now was taken over the weekend in one of the world's most bizarre wedding, when a 61-year-old woman married an 8-year-old boy...and the weeding had close to 100 guest in attendance.
The families of the groom, Sanele Masilela (8) and bride, Helen Shabangu (61) as well as the bride's husband and her five children were also at the wedding.
The boy's aunt, Patience Masilela (46), explained why the wedding took place.
She said:
"The boy was named after his late grandfather who never had a white wedding, so the ancestors told the boy to get married and he chose Helen to be his bride.
The family took his desire to get married very seriously. They paid R7 000 lobola for the bride in March last year and spent R15 000 on the wedding because they believed it was what the ancestors wanted."
The bride said:
"I'm married and have five kids of my own, but I know that this is what the ancestors wanted – and now they are happy. It is a ritual. We are just playing now, but it is a sign that he will get married one day."
The young groom said:
"I told my mother that I wanted to get married because I really did want to. I chose her because I love her and I'm happy that I married her – but I will go to school and study hard. When I'm older I will marry a lady my own age."
The bride's long-time husband, Alfred Shabangu (65), said that he never had a problem with her marrying the boy because he too knew that it was what the ancestors wanted. My kids and I are happy. We don't have any problems with it," he said.
How can a family go this far for the ancestors?
This is really serious. The age difference is the first point.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm sure they understand what they did.