In a modern family people is less subject to the parental control in the matter of mate choice. At marriage, every African Christian couple, especially in mission-founded churches, is confronted with three worlds the world of the traditional culture to which most parents of marrying-age children belong; the world of the civil or wives should be homemakers and primary caregivers were considered to be conservative. This paper focuses on gender based violence to argue that not only does gender based violence in marriages risk the health and wellbeing of the couple, children and the society, but also threatens the realization of the essential properties of marriage. In related literature, this period is defined as the emergent adulthood stage and it is of critical importance to establish and maintain romantic relationships during this transition period (Arnett, 2000). The escalating experiences of violence as force among married couples, call to question what it means to be husband and wife or whether marriage is merely an ideal so difficult to realize. So, modern couples are usually raised in traditional society, but with a lot of influences from modern, often western, education, television, radio, and so on. A clan is made up of a family who either are related by blood and marriage. Whether the bride and groom fall in love or someone makes the match, meeting involves Your email address will not be published. If she confirms, the groom comes back the next day with his father and elders to discuss the brides settlement price. Thera Rasing Traditional modern and christian teachings in Unfortunately the status of Zimbabwean women is still in a sad state due to the prevalence of masculinist and patriarchal norms that negatively portray Zimbabwean women as subordinates and men as dominating all aspects of life. Black Feminist Criticism and Drama: Thoughts on Double Patriarchy, Western Education's Impact on Northern Igbo Gender Roles in Nsukka, Nigeria, 1. Marriage in Traditional African Society and Its Televance. (NICATD, Crystalrlombardo) There can be many pros and cons to arranged marriages. families, and misses the many meanings and practices of marriage that coexist in our society. Marriage takes many forms in Africa. The Bahama of Africa and tribes of Samoa. ABSTRACT. ("Traditional marriage is a bedrock institution of our communities, state, nation and society. Box 720035, Houston, Texas, 77272 Traditional verses Current Situation in Africa Traditional African society knew only one religion, ATR which greatly shaped the lives of the African people. If she says yes, they go to the brides compound where the groom meets with the father and explains why he is there. It was a white bodyEastern European-looking like the stereotypewith a white bra and G-string. In traditional rural African societies, the contraction of marriage was dominated by arranged marriages whereby parents usually indulged in the selection of marriage partners for their children; this was mostly common for their daughters. Berlin: Pp. Explain how people in the Traditional African Community prevented calamities from befalling them. It can also be called a total separation (Collins English Dictionary, 2011). The marriage ceremony was based on the principle of male dominance and female obedience. Marriage has, despite demographic and political shifts, significant value for the individual, families and the society (Nock, 2005). A man in South Africa may have more than one spouse but a South African woman may only have one spouse. the Nation and Intellectual Leadership Crisis . In the traditional African society, older people were highly esteemed because of the important roles they played by helping to integrate the society, preserve its cultural values, transmit knowledge and skills, settle disputes and educate the young. THE ROLE OF AFRICAN TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE RITES ON MARITAL STABILITY: A CASE OF THE ABAGUSII PEOPLE, KENYA January 2022 Project: Post-doctoral Research Authors: Esther Kerebi Nyamache The. The emergence of clusters of traditions and cultural civilization of the wider Igbo society and the influence of the Western culture necessitated the need to review the traditional Igbo marriage and customs. The bride price is negotiable but it is the role of the grooms family to persuade the betrothed his father to trim the items on the list. Rather than seeing marriage as the only possible option, we should embrace the various sorts of human relationships (e.g. The ultraviolet light that lit the tiny box of a room made her underwear and heavy lipstick glow in an eerie, supernatural but definitely eye-catching way. The thrust of this paper is therefore to rekindle in couples marital values; establish how they control human sexuality and therefore affect the family. Unfortunately, as a result ofthemen being much older at the time of marriage, most women become widows, knowing that it is understood that they should never remarry again. It is indeed the The point is that this Marriage As A Conjugal Reality ~ From the Frontlines to the Sublime: Why Man & Woman? Marriage is an institution of society with different purpose, functions and forms in different societies but is present everywhere as an institution. Unlike, that of my own culture in the United States of America, where I am free as a citizen to choose whomever I may choose to marry and when and if I may marry. The point is that this Both African-American husbands and wives in this study held more traditional views than white couples; Latinos were found to be no more or less traditional than whites. We missed a balanced understanding of the contradictions that this ambiguity presented. In this way, African culture and values can be revaluated, their relevance established and sustained in order to give credence to authentic African identity. 4. This is neither biblical nor African custom but an aftermath of religion, colonization and perhaps misapplication of the scripture. They have no reason to impose it on people who had already had their marriage rites. To learn more, view ourPrivacy Policy. THE PLACE OF TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE IN AFRICAN CULTURE, Marriage not wedding was the real miracle. This paper takes the case of gender based violence (GBV) as a power that threatens the marriage institution. Rituals Leading to Marriage Rituals of marriage begin long before the actual wed-ding ceremonies. I ntroduction: Human societies globally have from time immemorial held with great regard the celebration of marriage. African Conception on Marriage and Family Marriage occupies an important position in the affairs of Africans, especially in the past. If the woman accepts the proposal, the grooms family presents bride price and associated items to the brides parent. Most African Americans get married but chances of the marriage lasting are slim. In general, all ceremonies use the same principles. Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. Women in Africa: Tradition and Change. Greiner, C. & W. Kokot. It is a given that it has come to stay going with the way gay pride parades and marches have been held around the world especially in countries where it has been legalised like the United Kingdom, the Netherlands to mention a few. Marriage in South Africa Wikipedia, Marriage in African Traditional Society UK Essays Blessed be the God of all creation for being in the business of creating marriages as well as rebuilding and amending them. This paper is from Masculinities under Neoliberalism, edited by Andrea Cornwall, Frank G. Karioris & Nancy Lindisfarne, pp 165-182. In traditional African society, marriage between close relatives is not allowed. It is therefore recommended that before any marriage engagement, the man and the woman should consider their suitability to the fulfilment of fundamental obligation of child bearing as concern for family sustenance. However, in Africa, the practice of arranged marriages isnt as commonly used as it used to be. No matter her beauty or qualities, her failure to bear children is worse than committing genocide. The institution of marriage1, the backbone of society, appears to be under threat. As Siqwana-Ndulo (1998) stated, the institutions of family, marriage and household in African societies revolved around community. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Some slaves tried to continue practices, such as polygamy, that were a part of traditional African cultures but were unsuccessful. After this is over, the brides father hands the bride a wooden cup filled with palm wine. Its important to put records right especially as most African rich traditions are branded demonic. Marriage in African Traditional Society UK Essays In this vein, traditional sex laws are relatively relevance in all African society to avoid a breach of good . Different cultures have different rituals and beliefs about marriage. (c) Give six ways the Traditional Africans used to maintain their relationship with the These items show evidence of ownership and when accepted by brides father or his representative evidence transfer authority of ownership of the bride from the father to the husband. The union of marriage is so strong that two become one flesh. Religion informs everything in traditional African society, including political art, marriage, health, diet, dress, economics, and death. The Igbos take the wedding traditions series and the wedding is a celebration for everyone in the town. African wedding traditions Africa, with its many nations and tribes, is very rich in different wedding traditions. in traditional Africa from a holistic perspective, with emphasis on how culture has impacted negatively on their well-being, although there are benefits derive from their status in society. Today, we not only speak of marriage as a union of love but also as one whose space is contested by various external forces. bo society dominated the early centuries from 1408 to the present period. 2 pages, 557 words. 6. About nine-in-ten Americans (88%) cited love as a very important reason to get married, ahead of making a lifelong commitment (81%) and companionship (76%), according to a 2013 Pew Research Center survey. But in the name of Churchanity [not Christianity], most Africans appear to regard European wedding superior to our rich African traditional rites. It is trite to note that even where regulations exist to excuse or better still legalise this form of marriage, it is still not acceptable in major cultures and civilisation across the world and particularly in many African countries like Malawi, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Nigeria. African culture and traditions are handed down from generation to generation. In traditional African societies, the law enforcement agents, traditional police and courts were responsible for ensuring compliance with the laws of the land. Political philosophers have taken the organization of sex and reproduction to be essential to the health of the state, and moral philosophers have debated whether marriage has a special moral status and relation to the human good. These three ceremonies involve fortune and time. Although different societies in Africa celebrate marriage differently given the diversity of belief systems, it can be generally stated that marriage manifests a union of love, joy and great intimacy. Despite this manifestation, marriage has been very often exposed to incidences of violence. Introduction stopped to stare at the body showcased in the Amsterdam window and inadvertently shuddered. Some English bibles record this ceremony as wedding because wedding is purely European concept and tradition. Its customary gifts [and not a price for buying a bride] in appreciation of the gift of a bride. The World Book Encyclopedia states that 40% of Africans identify as Christian while 45% are Muslim. This has become a great problem that many igbo men choose to cohabitate with a woman than marry her because of the resultant shame., In a traditional Igbo wedding, the man asks the woman to marry him. When looking at marriage as an institution, as opposed to a free-standing concept, marriage represents socially sanctioned behaviour. Weefree Ministries, as Jesus did,include ministering to the physical, emotional, mental, vocational, and financial needs of others. After they assemble this packet, the parents go search for a man for their daughter and see if he makes the requirements for their daughter., Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. This is something that most Americans are familiar with, or at least they are if theyve been involved in a wedding. I was sadly mistaken with what I thought of this world when the topic of marriage was expressed., MARRIAGE IN TRADITIONAL AFRICAN SOCIETY AND ITS RELEVANCE. To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds toupgrade your browser. The traditional values and beliefs of the African that stem from his culture include polygamy, belief in one supreme God as well as many other minor deities, love of children, music, dancing, respect for old age and authority, belief in a future life, marriage and funeral The different forms of marriage included musengabere, kuzvarira, kutema ugariri, kuganha, kutizisa or kutizira, chimutsamapfiwa, kugara or kugarwa nhaka, matengana gudo and kukumbira, among others. Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link. It is found that there are many differences between the two of these cultures. these traditional African societies girls bodies were also heavily decorated by women themselves in their societys signs and symbols. This is not to say that indigenous African spirituality represents a form of theocracy or religious totalitarianism not at all. 3. Your guess is as good as mine. compulsion for marriage in the context of an African slave girl Ojebeta Ogbanje: Every woman, whether slave or free, must marry. Cambridge-Africa Programme. African traditional society and culture basing on an Afrocentric view can be depicted as an existent entity whereas the individuals belonging to a particular African society have and practice the traditions of that particular society and adhere to the culture in one way or the other. There are consequences on those who breached this norm. This shall be the focus of our discussion in this paper. The African marriage is an integral part of the whole African culture and was a rite of passage for every mature man and woman. These values are best explained in African traditional marriages, family, clan, individual gifts and names, talents, cultural practices, arts and sculptures, dress, music and dance, folk stories amongst other traits peculiar to the African society. society, there exists within the African traditional marriage system resources available, which if discerned and learned properly can help checkmate or even stalemate some of the ills it suffers today. Islamic laws and customs have shaped the institution of marriage in North Africa and in some nations of western and eastern Africa. Society has moved on; the traditional idea of marriage is outdated. It must be noted that the African society loves to have children. An analysis of the cultural aspects of the marriage in the Shona traditional religion in Zimbabwe, Religion Mariage and Family Values in Africa, Traditional Marriage System in Ikwerre from Pre colonial Times to the Recent Past, Title Women Subjugating Women: Re-Reading Mariama B's So Long a Letter and Scarlet Song Publication Date, UNDERSTANDING SAME SEX MARRIAGE AND ITS ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS ON AFRICAN VALUE SYSTEM: A CRITICAL STUDY OF THE NIGERIAN SOCIETY, is a Senior Research Fellow and Head of Religions and Philosophy Unit at the Institute of African Studies, Contemporary Zongo Communities in Accra Interfaith Marriages: The Case of Muslims and Christians in Accra, Elisheva Baumgarten, Judaism, in Don S. Browning and Marcia J. Bunge, eds., Children and Childhood in World Religions: Primary Sources and Texts (New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 2020), 15-81, SEXUAL DISCOURSE IN WOLE SOYINKA'S 'THE LION AND THE JEWEL' AND LOLA SHONEYIN'S 'THE SECRET LIVES OF BABA SEGI'S WIVES', Constructing the Meaning of Childlessness within the Luo Community of Western Kenya, BiAS 28 / ERA 6: "The Wounded Beast?" The wedding tradition came along with colonization and the inception of Christianity in Africa. African Wedding Traditions Everything You Want To Know, TRADITIONAL ETHICS AND THE MAINTENANCE OF SOCIAL, CHRISTIAN VALUES AND AFRICAN CULTURE AN EVALUATION, MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE AMONG THE ASANTE Centre of African Women in Islam versus Women in the Judeo-Christianity: The Myth & The Reality By Dr. Sherif Abdel Azeem. What is new is the reaffirmation of marriage vows during marriage anniversaries. On the other hand, payment of the bride price and bride items demonstrates the mans capacity to plant a family unit in the community as well as coming of age. Yet they failed to comprehend the spectacular miracle that held two people together to become one. So unhappy is the woman who fails to get children. Among the Igbo marriage serves many different purposes other than unity between individuals and social status. An analysis of the cultural aspects of the marriage in the Shona traditional religion in Zimbabwe, Religion Mariage and Family Values in Africa, Christianity, Marriage and Family Life in Esanland, Silences in marriage laws in Commonwealth Africa: Womens position in polygynous customary marriages, Lessons from Scripture for Maasai Christianity, Lessons from Maasai Culture for the Global Church. It is foundational. The traditional marriage is the local form of marriage. When Americans think wedding, they think big, white dresses, tiered cakes, being surrounded by family and friends, dancing, and of course the big kiss at the end of the ceremony to seal the deal. However, it is common to see some people taking part in all these forms of marriage. A last type of proposal or demand in marriage was a purchase contract. Weefree Ministries - Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others so they can come to know Him and receive Him as personal Savior, go on to experience Him as Lord of their life, and go even further to know Christ as the essence of their Life, The place of traditional marriage in African culture. Woman-to-woman marriage can also be beneficial to persons other than the female husband. Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer. Efundula: Wo men's Initiation, Gender and Sexual Identities in Colonial and Post-Colonial Northern Namibia, Obstacles in the Way of Love: The Enslavement of Intimacy in Samuel Crowther and Ama Ata Aidoo, Optimal pipeline connection for the west african gas pipeline network, Towards an African Atlantic: Ama Ata Aidoo's diasporic theater. Academia.edu uses cookies to personalize content, tailor ads and improve the user experience. A value is that quality of a thing thought of as being more or less desirable, useful, estimable and important. While a single lesson plan cannot fully explore the variety and complexity of African life, in this lesson students can gain insight into the lives of some black women in Sub-Saharan Africa by adopting a perspective that is in part traditional, based on the arts of African village life, and in part. 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