This page will guide you on what to buy for your umembeso Zulu traditional ceremony. Umembeso list of gifts can be confusing, especially for today’s generations that are slowly losing touch with their isiZulu African culture. Also, we can’t ignore that things evolve right? What your grandmother bought for her umembeso, is no longer relevant today in 2025.

What is Umembeso

The Umembeso ceremony is one of the traditions that form part of the Zulu wedding process. This usually happens after the ilobolo has been paid, and it involves the groom and his family bringing gifts to the bride’s family.

The standard procedure involves the in-laws arriving at the house of the bride and gathering outside the gate with gifts, as a way to thank the family. Singing and dancing to traditional Zulu marriage songs “ukusina” are also takes place while awaiting entry inside. In order for the ceremony to start, a small group of the in-laws are sent into the house to retrieve the bride or alternatively, the bride’s father brings her outside. Source

One thing for sure, umembeso is not a mundane, boring event. It’s a celebratory event that (if well planned) can be better than a white wedding.

What is Umembeso
What is Umembeso. Image Source: Okuhlekodwa Media

Many bride and grooms, decide to make the umembeso ceremony, their main traditional wedding. Which is a good step towards saving costs of starting a new family.

What is the Purpose of Umembeso?

Before you even think about what gifts to buy for umembeso, you must know what the purpose of umembeso is.

Well, the purpose of umembeso is to unite the new families of the bride and of the groommakoti’s family, and the mkhonyana’s family. Think about it, during the “mjolo” phase, your families don’t know each other, right? Even if they do, it is still not official. So practically they don’t know each other. After the lobola has been paid (as explained above), umembeso celebration ceremony needs to happen and solidify the new bond between the two families. The main purpose is to make them one united family.

List of what to buy for the Umembeso Traditional Ceremony

Now, let’s get to the more practical part: how to write umembeso list of gifts. Umembeso has its own types of gifts, which are strictly guided by isiZuli evolving traditions over time. These are called “izibizo”. Now there is Izibizo zikamama – mother (parent) gifts, and izibizo zikababa – father (parent) gifts.

Gifts for umembeso often include:

  • Blankets
  • Doeks
  • Clothing dresses, skirts, and shirts for the family
  • Food & drinks such as groceries, umqombothi, soft drinks
  • Live goats and sheeps
  • Pots, pans, cutlery, dishes
  • Shoes and hats for parents and elders
  • Basins and buckets
  • Cash gifts (ikhefu), normally offered as hard cash
  • Walking sticks (izinduku) for elderly men
  • Traditional Zulu attire
  • Suitcases and bags for the makoti going into a new family
  • Brooms and household essentials
  • Umbrellas

Who Gets Gifts During Umembeso Ceremony?

Not everyone get gifts during the umembeso ceremony. And also, umembeso gifts values, go according to the priorities – the higher the rank in the family, the bigger the gift.

The following are the types of people who get gifts during Umembeso Ceremony:

  1. The father of the bride or groom
  2. The mother of the bride or groom
  3. All the siblings of the bride or groom
  4. Grandmother/father of the bride or groom
  5. Anties and uncles of the bride or the groom

If one of the important member of the family has already passed on, a representative may be appointed on his/her behalf. So, gifts don’t skip – no way out ????.

How to Invite Guests to Your Umembeso Ceremony?

Now, when it comes to inviting your guests for the umembeso ceremony, things have significantly changed a bit over a decade a go. Normally, you would have to get the paper and envelope type of invitations, and distribute them physically to your guest. This was a tedious process indeed, not to mention costly. But now in 2025, technology has made it possible for you to invite your guests to the umembeso ceremony in a much cheaper, yet convenient way. You can simply invite your guests, using a nicely designed picture invite, or a video invite. Below are the few options you have to create a nice umembeso invitation:

Umembeso Invite Sample 1:

Designed by: Mansa Digital Agency

Umembeso Invite Sample 2:

Designed by: Mansa Digital Agency

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