Oral history interview with Mr Mphatso Mainala Chunga and Mrs Patricia Katunga Mainala

00:00 Introductions.

03:23 Mphatso and Patricia share some of their milestones.

08:10 What the couple understand about marriage.

10:46 The people involved in the process.

13:04 Patricia explains the different culture.

15:15The family meetings to discuss marriage.

18:00 The family representatives and the criteria for choosing them.

18:57 The traditional wedding ceremony in Malawi and what the couple did here.

19:50 Did they have a proxy as they were absent during the ceremony?

20:38 The dowry commonly known as lobola.

22:18 The Reason Mphatso’s culture doesn’t practice lobola.

22:42 Patricia’s view on lobola.

24:20 The role of the uncles on the day of engagement.

25:20 Engagement as a traditional wedding.

26:38 How they met.

28:48 Patricia explains her own side of the story.

31:00 The refusal of Mphatso’s proposal before acceptance.

31:40 How Mphatso foresaw the wedding and the marriage.

32:28 Did Mphatso have a script for his proposal?

33:55 Qualities that the couple were looking for in each other.

39:10 Mphatso’s advice to young ones looking for a potential marriage partner.

44:40 What happened after the engagement to define the marriage?

44:42 Mphatso explains the Registry wedding

47:10 The roles of the Registrar and how their pastor was involved in the process.

48:45 The ceremony at home

49:00 How they had to deal with cultural expectations.

49:57 A white wedding?

50:19 The celebration at home.

51:40 The things that Mphatso and Patricia like about married life.

55:53 Is marriage between 2 people?

57:25 God’s role in marriage from a Christian perspective.

58:35 The unique qualities of their marriage.

1:01:30 Their advice on marriage, information to give/ withhold and the appropriate age.

1:07:55 Children and sex education.

1:10:26 Views on intercultural, Interfaith and Interracial marriages.

1:16:49 Views on finding love on social media.

1:20:18 Importance of preserving this culture.

1:22:22 End of recording