Turning Table

Part 171

***The Aunt ***

🌹Liyana 🌹

I'm yawning as I sit in this huge sitting room, I can barely keep my eyes open or look around at what's going on, all I sense is the servants moving around as if they were told the president is joining us for breakfast, I do know why the Chief ' Mzokhulayo called this meeting, but I know that it has to do with my visit, I'm all pampered, dressed in cute attire I look and feel like royalty and I kind of like it.

I glimpse at my watch again and I notice that it's 8:14 in the morning, I'm alone in this big house, alone as in I do not see any familiar faces around, yes, my people are around but they were placed outside in some guest house, just because they are not blood-related to the Rhamabele.

I have a huge ring on my finger but in my father's house, I am not supposed to share a bed let alone a room with a man who has not yet paid for my bridal price, that is how traditional my cousin is, or should I say my family is.

But I must be honest that being here has taught me so much about my roots, values and just being a Rhamabele, I know most people do not think of their family as" cultured people." For many, it is a group of familiar people doing what they always do.

Yet it is exactly that—a characteristic way of thinking, feeling, judging, and acting—that defines a culture. Both in direct and subtle ways, children are molded by the family culture into which they are born. Growing up, their assumptions about what is right and wrong often reflect the beliefs, values, and traditions of their family culture. Most take for granted their family's ways, and they carry into adulthood numerous attitudes and behaviors acquired in childhood.

Even those who later reject all or part of the family culture often discover that they are not entirely free of their early influences. No matter that they promise themselves they will never repeat the mistakes of their own family—certain cultural attitudes and responses are so ingrained in family members that they continue to affect their thinking and behavior, whether or not those individuals are aware of such influence.

To say that my family has identifiable cultures is not to suggest that they are static. I think they just have a constant state of transition as each member moves through the cycles of life and the family itself moves from one stage of development to the next.

So here I am bringing a huge baggage of unknown and unclaimed birth, I also come with the topic of Marriage, let's not forget that I'm also pregnant, and all of this happened while I was undergoing an identity crisis, so I don't blame Mzokhulayo for going crazy cause I come with challenges that may change the family constellation and, in profound ways, alter the family culture.

"You look stressed, "he said walking into the room and sitting next to me

Me: Just wondering why, you conduct meetings so early "

He laughed showing off his deed dimple

Him: I am not conducting anything,' but Nonzwakazi is "

Me: No ... what? "

Him: our aunt "

Me: We have an aunt? "

Him: yep, our family is left with two older, your Father who is nowhere to be found, and our bossy Aunt who calls the shorts as if she is the one sitting on the thrown "

Me: I am not following, how is that so?"

He laughs shaking his head "You will know when you see her ... I am sorry but I had to tell her about your existence, and the traditional ceremony that we have to do to introduce you to the family ... and she said that when daylight strikes today, she will be here so here we are waiting for her"