Ambuya

wife's mother (mother-in-law)

Ukama uhu

Mukuwasha anodaidza mai vomudzimai wake kuti ambuya. Pakati pavo panoshandiswa chinyarikani, kureva kutaura kwakadzikama kune rukudzo. Pakuroora ambuya vanopiwa mombe yeumai nezvipo zvembereko. Mukuwasha ndiye anotanga kukwazisa ambuya pese paanosangana navo.

Mienzaniso

Ndipo patava kuzonzwa maminimini okuti mukuwasha akawanikidzwa naambuya mudzimai wehanzvadzi yemudzimai wake, kana makunakuna ekuti hanzvadzi nehanzvadzi vaitisana pamuviri.

DiviBy marriage

Anokudana kutiMukuwasha

KukwazisaAmbuya, spoken to in the respectful register; the son-in-law greets her first.

In English

Ambuya is what a man calls his wife's mother, a relationship of strict respect in Shona custom.

To a son-in-law (mukuwasha), his wife's mother is ambuya, the same word as for a grandmother. Their relationship belongs to chinyarikani, the respectful register: a Dada Nerurimi lesson illustrates that register with a picture of a son-in-law and his ambuya, and the Yeukai notes list sons-in-law speaking to their vatezvara and vambuya among the pairs who must choose their words with care. The son-in-law greets his parents-in-law first whenever they meet. The same lesson counts the wife of his wife's brother as his ambuya too.

At roora the bride's mother receives payments of her own: mbereko and mafukidzadumbu for carrying and bearing the child, fixed amounts that are not bargained over, and the mombe yeumai, a live cow expected to calve as a sign of blessing on the marriage. When the son-in-law is finally welcomed into the home, he greets his new in-laws with the gusvi clap and is given a list of clothing to provide for the mother and the father.

Mibvunzo.

What does a Shona man call his mother-in-law?

Ambuya, the same word as for a grandmother. She in turn calls him mukuwasha.

How should a son-in-law behave towards ambuya?

With strict respect. They speak in the respectful register (chinyarikani), and he greets her and his father-in-law first whenever they meet.

Hama dzedivi rimwe chete.

TezvaraTezvara, usually said as vatezvara out of respect, is the father of your wife or husband.MurumeMurume means husband, and also simply man; a Shona wife may address her husband as baba vevana, 'father of the children'.MukadziMukadzi means wife, and also simply woman; mudzimai is another common word for a wife.MurooraMuroora is a son's wife, the daughter-in-law, who in Shona custom marries into her husband's whole family.MukuwashaMukuwasha, also written mukwasha, is a daughter's husband, the son-in-law, who owes his wife's family lifelong help and respect.VamweneVamwene is a married woman's mother-in-law, the mother of her husband.

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