“May I Be Invisible to My Mother-in-Law”: Asian Woman Praying in Zulu Goes Viral

• An Asian woman who lives in South Africa and embraces Zulu culture shared a video of herself praying in Zulu, dressed in traditional attire, and the clip went viral
• The woman prayed for all makotis, asking God to make her invisible to her mother-in-law
• South Africans flooded the comments with laughter and love, with many makotis relating to the prayer

An Asian woman living in South Africa has set social media alight after sharing a video of herself praying in Zulu. The clip, posted on 28 September 2025, quickly went viral, getting over 29,000 reactions and hundreds of comments from people who couldn't believe what they were hearing.

In the video, the woman is dressed in traditional Zulu attire and praying in fluent Zulu. Her prayer was one that many South African makotis could relate to, and it had people laughing and nodding in agreement. She prayed: "Dear Lord, as a makoti, may I be invisible to my mother-in-law, especially when she wants tea. Let her see her own daughter. I pray for all makotis, please."

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The prayer struck a chord with many South African women who are familiar with the challenges that come with being a makoti. In South African culture, makotis often carry a lot of responsibilities when it comes to their in-laws, and the relationship between a daughter-in-law and mother-in-law can sometimes be tense. The woman's humorous but honest prayer highlighted these struggles in a way that had people laughing and relating at the same time.

Mzansi loves the Asian woman's prayer

South Africans loved the video and rushed to the comments to share their thoughts. Many people praised the woman for her sense of humour and her ability to embrace Zulu culture so well.

@teedoroyal wrote:

"😮😂❤️ We omakoti we love you more ❤️😂😂."

@dumisani_dumingo joked:

"Dear God, please mute her prayers😂😂😂."

@ntokozo2160 simply said:

"Amen."

@nalelimasoabi added:

"😂😂😂A very important prayer😂."

@tlutsh gushed:

"Oh Maan, what a prayer."

What it means to be a makoti

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According to experts at Scielo.org, the term makoti refers to a bride, a newly married woman, or a daughter-in-law in Southern African Nguni languages. When a woman gets married, she becomes part of her husband's family through cultural processes, and in many cases, she's expected to take on certain responsibilities within the household. These responsibilities can include cooking, cleaning, and taking care of her in-laws, especially if she lives with them.

The relationship between a makoti and her mother-in-law can be complicated. In many African cultures, mothers-in-law try to show their authority over their daughters-in-law, and makotis are often expected to prove their worth by working hard and serving the family. This can create tension, especially if the two women come from different backgrounds or have different expectations.

Content creator @shanshan_in_sa is an Asian woman who has fully embraced Zulu culture since moving to South Africa, and she often shares videos of herself singing Zulu songs and engaging with the culture.

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Watch the Facebook clip below:

Other Asians and South Africans

• Briefly News recently reported on a man who showed how much food he could get in China with R150, ordering a feast that included six full plates of meat, vegetables, desserts, and drinks.
• A Midrand content creator gave his followers a full tour of a stunning two-storey home he built in China for just R1 million, leaving South Africans shocked by the price comparison.
• An Asian woman schooled South Africans on the meaning behind the phrase "fong kong," commonly used to describe low-quality products from China, and locals were amused by her explanation.

Source: Briefly News