twala, ukutwala, noun2

/(ʊkʊ)ˈtwɑːlə//(ʊɡʊ)ˈtwa(ː)la/
Forms:
Also ukuthwala.
Origin:
See twala verb.
Especially in traditional Xhosa society: the abduction of a young woman for the purpose of marriage. Also attributive.
1931 F.C. Slater Secret Veld 312Uku twala..is a secret carrying-away custom practised amongst those natives of South Africa still in a state of heathenism. A man becomes enamoured of a damsel, and, along with accomplices, awaits a favourable opportunity and carries her off by force, shoulderhigh, or on horseback. If he succeeds in reaching his homestead with her, her friends are appraised of her whereabouts, and she is sent for by them. She is then delivered up, together with lobola cattle.
1937 B.J.F. Laubscher Sex, Custom & Psychopathology 16She was married, much against her will, for twenty head of cattle, by means of ukutwala (kidnapping by consent of parents). She fought and struggled but was beaten and carried off by her kidnappers.
1937 B.J.F. Laubscher Sex, Custom & Psychopathology 193The lobola fee has already been settled prior to the actual kidnapping, but an extra cow must now be paid for the audacity to kidnap the girl, even after they have all agreed that the marriage should be an Ukutwala.
1948 O. Walker Kaffirs Are Lively 114Some are concerned with tribal customs such as twala — marriage abduction — and its side-issues teleka and ngena.
1955 J.B. Shephard Land of Tikoloshe 49Another custom is called Twala, a euphemism for abduction; curiously it is often connived at by the people most intimately concerned for, in a sense, it is regarded as a form of marriage.
1961 P. Mayer Townsmen or Tribesmen 264Ukuthwala procedure consists of the man’s representatives abducting the girl and installing her at his home, where she is required to perform the duties of a wife...Just as in more ceremonious marriages, the ukuthwala bride is being transferred from one homestead and group of kin to another.
1970 A. Fulton I Swear to Apollo 258The Xhosa have a very fine custom. If a fellow fancies a girl he simply steals her and carries her off to his hut. They call it ukuthwala.
1971 Daily Dispatch 13 Feb. 2The accused was never consulted before arrangements for her ‘twala’ were made...she was very unhappy with her husband.
the abduction of a young woman for the purpose of marriage. Also attributive.
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twak, nounn.twala, verb transitivev.
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