If a drunken man became soiled with menstrual blood and scolded his wife and showed disgust she left and went to her own people. The rumor of an insult of this kind caused an uproar among both women and men in the whole community [penalties were imposed by the chief and if the woman did not return the man could find no other wife]. They were very sensitive about any ridicule of a woman soiled by a nursing child. [The word sikoko ("bark skirt") came to be used contemptuously in this way and for any derogation of women’s work.] A complaint about the use of this word by young people aroused universal indignation. The matter was handled according to the saying, "If one fly infects the meat the whole is spoiled." . . . All the young people were brought before a tribunal, the offenders were locked in a house for three days until they were weak with hunger. Then each was fined an ox or a goat, so that the council ground was full of animals. The chief took four oxen and the others were eaten by the men in the course of the day.

If a girl laughed at a woman wearing a skirt soiled by a child her father was called before the chief and must pay an ox. . . . Exceptionallythe chief placed the punishment in the hands of the insulted community. This was done under Chief Rindi in the case of a girl Matsohoro. . . . She had ridiculed the school for brides, which she had just completed, in the presence of uncircumcised girls, calling the teaching lies and nonsense. The report of this spread from mouth to mouth among women and finally reached the chief. He called the women together and gave them permission to destroy the banana groves of her nearest relatives. Four banana groves were destroyed to the last sprout while a song was sung on the theme of the insult. The women then sat on the desolated spot and spoke a united curse against anyone who should ever again betray or deride the bride instruction. The owners did not dare to live again on the desecrated ground and moved elsewhere and the unfortunate girl died soon, unmarried (186; 252–253).