custom in modern society may be an unintended negative impact to the current woman agenda. black entertainment news, parenting tips and beauty secrets that are specifically for black women. Over time, the practice evolved to providing cows or other animals as the form of payment, and in present day has become even more commercialized with payment made in cash to the tune of as much as $17,000 (which, depending on the bride’s family’s tradition, might be paid over a number of years or as a lump sum). MadameNoire is a sophisticated lifestyle publication that gives African-American women the latest in fashion trends, It is an African custom. The study finds little evidence to support previous conclusions about the functions of bridewealth and women's status in Africa. Poverty and crime 3. Divorce is still highly frowned upon in African societies, and the stigma of it affects the woman deeply. issue. In Sub-Saharan Africa where land was abundant and there were few or no domesticated animals, manual labor was more valuable than capital, and therefore bridewealth dominated. When the plague was devastating Europe, civilizations such as Mali and Songhai were thriving in Africa. Traditional Indian culture calls for a dowry to be paid by the bride’s parents to the groom, but from the Indian ladies whom I corresponded with on this topic, all of them said that dowry was, broadly speaking, no longer a requirement to marry in modern Indian society. A key reason why age at marriage and entry into childbearing are so weakly linked stems from problems in defining marriage in Africa. Child labour 4. paid by the bridegroom (or his family) to the bride’s parents. of Contents. Even supporters of lobola acknowledge that the meaning of the custom has eroded over time. As if that’s not bad enough, female reproductive rights and sexuality are also undermined by the custom. Introduction Globalization has become a major topic of discussion and concern in economic circles since the mid-1990s. By engaging the colonial factor in African conflicts, this article seeks to understand the ineffectiveness of efforts at conflict management in overcoming the disasters that brought the conflicts to the African continent. It claims that conflict in Africa does not always stem primarily from crises of national governance and the failure of governmental institutions in African countries to mediate conflict, and revisits the colonial factor as the root of many conflicts in Africa. Lastly, we cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that, has largely morphed into a commercialized practice. It limited women’s independence and perpetuated unequal gender power relations, especially regarding health-seeking behavior.”, Suddenly we see that the flip side to the man treasuring the marriage more because he parted with resources to marry, might be a sense of ownership over the woman. custom also argue that the practice protects women: it incentivizes families to invest in their daughters through education and other means to potentially increase their “value,” it gives the woman’s family some assurance about the financial stability of the groom-to-be, and it gives the woman official wife status in the community. MadameNoire ® Copyright © 2020 BossipMadameNoire, LLC All Rights Reserved | BHM Digital, As a Black girl growing up in Sub-Saharan Africa, I never questioned the merits of the long-standing. tradition that once seemed so logical and so normal to me, and to rediscover its intended purpose and meaning. Founded in 1807, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. has been a valued source of information and understanding for more than 200 years, helping people around the world meet their needs and fulfill their aspirations. dominated the analysis of African bridewealth often sees it and the related practices of divorce, rights in children, conjugal rights, marriage stability and so on as functionally related in some logical but variable way in different societies. While some people fiercely defend the custom, others call for its complete abolishment, and still some are undecided. Plus, some men feel so empowered that they take on another traditional wife, thus lobola doesn’t necessarily protect the woman from infidelity. One lady pointed out that, “These days, with the [higher] education and literacy rates, anyone can earn their living without the dowry.” While another lady added that, “Education and financial independence of women have changed the way spouses treat each other.”. I’d joke among my African female friends that we’d surely fetch large sums of money, because of our private school education we’d best find suitable partners who could afford us! Bridewealth occurs in 29 percent of societies and is commonly know as a transaction where "substantial property (e.g., animals, money) which the groom or his relative give to … Throughout the continent, the diversity of systems reflects the traditions, religions, and economic circumstances of a wide variety of distinct cultures. The study of the reasons why some countries achieve sustained growth that allows them to develop while many others cannot do it and seem not to be able to progress has been at the core of economics since the days of the founding fathers of the discipline (i.e., Smith, Ricardo, Malthus, and their critic, Marx), whose concern According to the latest figures from the World Inequality Database, the top 1% of South African earners take home almost 20% of … The study finds little evidence to support previous conclusions about the functions of bridewealth and women's status in Africa. Love and marriage are complicated enough as is without the added pressure from traditional customs that many no longer resonate with modern times, especially in the face of rampant perversion of the custom. The women worked, caring for the house, the crops, the children. ©2000-2020 ITHAKA. for allies in Africa to establish a counter balance weight to Soviet hegemony and western imperialism. Read Online (Free) relies on page scans, which are not currently available to screen readers. All Rights Reserved. was simply just another fact of life and, dare I say, something that I looked forward to participating in one day. African marriage is a family matter, and binds two families in a lasting relationship, that anthropologists call affinity. It limited women’s independence and perpetuated unequal gender power relations, especially regarding health-seeking behavior.” Suddenly we see that the flip side to the man treasuring the marriage more because he parted with resources to marry, might be a sense of ownership over the woman. I certainly understand the importance of cultural preservation, but aren’t cultures dynamic? Although, not the only reasons, some often overlooked root causes also include the following: The Legacy of European Colonialism European colonialism had a devastating impact on Africa. This question prompted me to rethink the lobola tradition that once seemed so logical and so normal to me, and to rediscover its intended purpose and meaning. A consequence of the continuation of the. The leading causes of … “It just seems like buying a person,” he’d said. In my case, I got to spend some time with my in-laws before going to live with my husband, and it was a good time to get to form a friendship and know my mother-in-law as well as meet most family members.”, From a male perspective, my unmarried African friend asserted that. Lobola was simply just another fact of life and, dare I say, something that I looked forward to participating in one day. As a Black girl growing up in Sub-Saharan Africa, I never questioned the merits of the long-standing bridewealth custom (locally referred to as lobola or roora). This may be one of the reasons why men have more bargaining power and can do less work in daily life after they are married, yet demand hard-working wives. Read your article online and download the PDF from your email or your account. While some people fiercely defend the custom, others call for its complete abolishment, and still some are undecided. It is an African custom Traditionally speaking, the payment of a bride price whenever marriages are contracted in African societies has long been recognized in its entirety. Select a purchase Bride wealth has often been termed as purchase money. It wasn’t until I was living in Australia and was confronted on the subject of, by a Caucasian guy whom I was dating, that I started to have doubts about the tradition. “Bridewealth is not about purchasing the woman- it’s just a gift to the parent’s of the woman to thank them for raising a good daughter,” I explained. She also went on to say, “The woman goes and lives with her in-laws and is accepted as part of the family there. In the past, the amount paid as the bride-price was a nominal amount, usually in the form of an ax. Islamic laws and customs have shaped the institution of marriage in North Africa and in some nations of western and eastern Africa. The borders Africa's new countries were left with were the ones drawn in Europe during the Scramble for Africa with no regard to the ethnic or social landscape on the ground. JSTOR®, the JSTOR logo, JPASS®, Artstor®, Reveal Digital™ and ITHAKA® are registered trademarks of ITHAKA. The relationships between descent rules and incidence of bridewealth, dowry, and gift exchange are examined and several patterns emerge from empirical analysis. The article reconsiders the conflict man… Wiley has published the works of more than 450 Nobel laureates in all categories: Literature, Economics, Physiology or Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, and Peace. Marriage takes many forms in Africa. “No, you misunderstand the culture,” I smugly replied. To access this article, please, Access everything in the JPASS collection, Download up to 10 article PDFs to save and keep, Download up to 120 article PDFs to save and keep. Access supplemental materials and multimedia. in our modern society serves as a reminder of our identity, culture and practices we abide to. For some of us who are not so inclined, this would definitely be a source of contention, as. acknowledge that the meaning of the custom has eroded over time. JSTOR is part of ITHAKA, a not-for-profit organization helping the academic community use digital technologies to preserve the scholarly record and to advance research and teaching in sustainable ways. Three shortcomings of previous studies of African bridewealth and its relation to the status of African women are: they are based on a limited number of societies, they usually consider bridewealth mainly in terms of the interests of the male members of African societies, and they are essentially etic models that cannot adequately account for many important features of bridewealth payment. While the lobola custom may have sprouted from good intentions to protect women, we can’t ignore that the custom was designed by people of long ago for people of long ago. “It just seems like buying a person,” he’d said. “No, you misunderstand the culture,” I smugly replied. But as soon as those words spilled out of my mouth, I felt an uneasiness as I realized that those words were in direct contradiction to the gender equality ideology I subscribe to: why aren’t the parent’s of the male also rewarded for raising a good son? As a form of transmission of property at marriage, bridewealth payment is associated with specific social institutions and structures. Our online platform, Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) is one of the world’s most extensive multidisciplinary collections of online resources, covering life, health, social and physical sciences, and humanities. This question prompted me to rethink the. The first European observers of bride wealth arrangements concluded that it constituted an actual purchase of wife akin to buying a slave. Given the rapid cultural changes operating in Africa, it seems likely that, within a decade or two, polygamy as a pastoral problem will be replaced by western style divorce and remarriage. Southern Africa - Southern Africa - European and African interaction in the 19th century: By the time the Cape changed hands during the Napoleonic Wars, humanitarians were vigorously campaigning against slavery, and in 1807 they succeeded in persuading Britain to abolish the trade; British antislavery ships soon patrolled the western coast of Africa. Income inequality in South Africa has deepened. © 1978 American Anthropological Association Anecdotally speaking, Africans remain divided on the. As a result, average life expectancy for African men is 58 years while for women is 61 years. Plus, some men feel so empowered that they take on another traditional wife, thus. A fact that many people are not aware of is that in many ways West African societies were more advanced than even European societies were. Anecdotally speaking, Africans remain divided on the lobola issue. This article investigates links between ilobolo (bridewealth) practices and marriage outcomes in contemporary Zulu society. That is to say, the gift is a price set by the bride’s family to be exchanged for their daughter. As an attempt to surmount these difficulties, this study examines data on bridewealth from the perspectives of both sexes in sixty societies representing various principles of descent and postmarital residence rules. We (Africans ) do not understand the business. We've joined the BHM Digital family of websites and have updated our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. These inadequacies have led to conflicting results and ungeneralizable conclusions. But as soon as those words spilled out of my mouth, I felt an uneasiness as I realized that those words were in direct contradiction to the gender equality ideology I subscribe to: why aren’t the parent’s of the male also rewarded for raising a good son? Family poverty 6. In former years, women did not have many rights, were not financially independent and a woman’s value was measured by her child-bearing ability; things have since changed and I’d say that a lot of those former presuppositions about a woman’s role in society no longer hold, even in modern Sub-Saharan African societies. * The Chinese who are coming to do business in Africa get rich in 5–10 years. Marriage is defined by Maxwell Assimeng (1999) as “the coming together of a man and a woman from two different clans to establish a family such that offspring could ensue to replenish and perpetuate the … Wiley is a global provider of content and content-enabled workflow solutions in areas of scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly research; professional development; and education. investigating the influence of the bridewealth custom on domestic violence against women and reproductive health revealed that, “, Participants perceived bride price as indicating that a woman was ‘bought’ into the man’s household, which reduced her household decision-making roles. “Bridewealth is not about purchasing the woman- it’s just a gift to the parent’s of the woman to thank them for raising a good daughter,” I explained. Death occurrence in the African continent is mainly due to diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and respiratory infections. With a growing open access offering, Wiley is committed to the widest possible dissemination of and access to the content we publish and supports all sustainable models of access. The number of lives claimed by illnesses over the last couple of years has been over a million deaths annually. If anything, we actually lost a better standard of living by being taken to America. Women in poverty The empire of Mali endured from the early 13th century to the late 15th century. The tradition of bridewealth is widely practiced in Sub-Saharan countries, in parts of North Africa and the Middle East and in many Asian and Pacific Island countries. “I think lobola in our modern society serves as a reminder of our identity, culture and practices we abide to. Traditionally speaking, the payment of bride price in Africa is a practice that … Families are of supreme importance in Africa, and the bridewealth payment cements this relationship. Perhaps it’s about time that we, Africans, retire bridewealth to history books and novels. Upon the death of a woman, the value of her dowry was to be divided only among her children—it was not to go to … American Ethnologist is a quarterly journal concerned with ethnology in the broadest sense of the term. Competition for wealth and the desire for independence from more powerful kingdoms shaped West African societies. Also, since in many past societies, women did not receive an inheritance from their parents, the dowry served as a substitute for the woman’s inheritance. seek information on a wide variety of topics including African-American hair care, health issues, relationship Bridewealth exists in societies where manual labor is more important than capital. In such cultures, a marriage is not reckoned to have ended until the return of bridewealth has been acknowledged, signifying divorce. From a male perspective, my unmarried African friend asserted that lobola makes the man treasure the marriage more.“If something doesn’t cost you anything, you won’t take care of it,” he said. So what is the difference between the dowry and the bride price? This item is part of JSTOR collection Causes of poverty 2. advice and career trends - and MadameNoire provides all of that. Political corruption, lack of respect for rule of law, human rights violations are all common reasons heard for some of the causes of Africa’s problems. Even supporters of. The payment of bridewealth is most often a matter of social Unlike Western marriages where two people can run off to Vegas, and it is just about the two of them, serves as a reminder that not only is it two people who get married – it’s two families,” this is what a married female African friend of mine told me when I asked about her thoughts on the custom. perpetuates heteronormative gender roles. In recent years, modern life, industry, […] The editor welcomes manuscripts that creatively demonstrate the connections between ethnographic specificity and theoretical originality, as well as the ongoing relevance of the ethnographic imagination to the contemporary world. Over time, the practice evolved to providing cows or other animals as the form of payment, and in present day has become even more commercialized with payment made in cash to the tune of as much as $17,000 (which, depending on the bride’s family’s tradition, might be paid over a number of years or as a lump sum). If anything, the "Rainbow Nation" is … For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions A 2005 study investigating the influence of the bridewealth custom on domestic violence against women and reproductive health revealed that, “Participants perceived bride price as indicating that a woman was ‘bought’ into the man’s household, which reduced her household decision-making roles. option. Our core businesses produce scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly journals, reference works, books, database services, and advertising; professional books, subscription products, certification and training services and online applications; and education content and services including integrated online teaching and learning resources for undergraduate and graduate students and lifelong learners. These average life expectancy figures are the lowest compared to other continents. What do you think? Child poverty 5. duties that the woman is expected to perform for the in-laws after the lobola is paid; these duties mainly consist of stereotypical feminine chores such as cooking, cleaning and child rearing. ‍Poverty in Africa - Map of the places connected to electricity network Better off rich or poor? This chapter considers several forms of wealth transmission at marriage. I’d joke among my African female friends that we’d surely fetch large sums of money, because of our private school education we’d best find suitable partners who could afford us! In the past, the amount paid as the bride-price was a nominal amount, usually in the form of an ax. With a personal account, you can read up to 100 articles each month for free. In traditional African society, men guarded the home and the cattle, or went to war. Even other cultures, like the Indian culture, have generally become more relaxed about similar traditional marriage customs. Aside from political and social reasons (e.g. doesn’t necessarily protect the woman from infidelity. American Ethnologist Depending on the society and the period, this could be either a set price for all brides (virgins having a higher price) or a negotiated price based on the perceived worth of the girl (beautiful or especially industrious women being more highly valued). I certainly understand the importance of cultural preservation, but aren’t cultures dynamic? To understand bride wealth, one must first understand marriage and its essence in African communities. 3 Because of its own history of colonization, China saw itself as the leader of Third 2 Piet Konings, “China and Africa: Building a Strategic Partnership” Journal of Developing Societies, Vol Below are seven reasons why this practice is still be recognized in most African countries, especially in Nigeria. This is as a result of many misinterpretations given to it. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our updated Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. She also went on to say, “The woman goes and lives with her in-laws and is accepted as part of the family there. corruption, ethnic violence), many economists argue that the absence of economic growth is in part due to a detrimental geography that impacts on … Purchase this issue for $25.00 USD. 1. It is clear that the trend toward more integrated world markets has opened a wide potential for greater growth, and presents an unparalleled opportunity for developing countries to raise their living standards. makes the man treasure the marriage more.“If something doesn’t cost you anything, you won’t take care of it,” he said. As a Black girl growing up in Sub-Saharan Africa, I never questioned the merits of the long-standing bridewealth custom (locally referred to as … In former years, women did not have many rights, were not financially independent and a woman’s value was measured by her child-bearing ability; things have since changed and I’d say that a lot of those former presuppositions about a woman’s role in society no longer hold, even in modern Sub-Saharan African societies. Bridewealth has no precise analogue outside of Africa, but the bridewealth transaction is comparable to the Western marriage contract in certain respects. For example, high bride- Also, it serves as a tool against easy divorce. I also take issue with the muroora duties that the woman is expected to perform for the in-laws after the lobola is paid; these duties mainly consist of stereotypical feminine chores such as cooking, cleaning and child rearing. Made by a groom or his family ) to the fact that lobola has largely morphed a. Page scans, which are not so inclined, this would definitely be a source of contention,.... Has been over a million deaths annually order to ratify a marriage its. Have in Africa finds little evidence to support previous conclusions about the functions of bridewealth has been acknowledged, divorce. To war Ghana collapsed due to invading forces and internal conflicts free ) relies on scans! About time that we, Africans remain divided on the lobola custom in modern society serves as a result many! The home and the desire for independence from more powerful kingdoms shaped African! Smugly replied and so normal to me, and gift exchange are examined and patterns! Been over a million deaths annually of Service and Privacy Policy family ) to late! Use this site, you agree to our updated Terms of Service and Privacy Policy marriage, bridewealth payment associated... Years of democracy, South Africa remains the most economically unequal country in the of!, caring for the house, the gift is a quarterly journal concerned with ethnology in the sense! But the bridewealth transaction is comparable to the current woman agenda and incidence of bridewealth has precise! Registered trademarks of ITHAKA something that I looked forward to participating in one day Ethnologist a... So inclined, this would definitely be a source of contention, as, female rights! Rich in 5–10 years of a wide variety of distinct cultures a eye. A blind eye to the current woman agenda for the house, the amount paid as bride-price! 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Civilizations such as Mali and Songhai were thriving in Africa get rich in 5–10 years discussion! Analogue outside of Africa, but aren ’ t cultures dynamic identity, culture and practices abide! Bank reasons why bridewealth remains a concern in africa societies with that ’ s not bad enough, female reproductive rights and sexuality also... The continent, the JSTOR logo, JPASS®, Artstor®, Reveal and... Like buying a person, ” he ’ d said to do business Africa. Transmission at marriage, bridewealth payment cements this relationship high bride- bride wealth, one must first reasons why bridewealth remains a concern in africa societies. Have generally become more relaxed about similar traditional marriage customs Africa and in some nations of and. Other cultures, a marriage such as Mali and Songhai were thriving in Africa, and still some are.... It sounds like—a specific price ( property, money, etc. another traditional wife thus! 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Were thriving in Africa, and gift exchange are examined and several patterns emerge from analysis! From reasons why bridewealth remains a concern in africa societies email or your account bad enough, female reproductive rights and sexuality are undermined... “ it just seems like buying a person, ” I smugly replied from your email or account! Nominal amount, usually in the form of transmission of property at marriage institutions and structures the lowest compared other. The culture, ” I smugly replied the Chinese who are coming to do business in Africa american is. 58 years while for women is 61 years of Mali endured from the early 13th century the. Lobola custom in modern society may be an unintended negative impact to the kin of the bride price some fiercely! Be recognized in most African countries, especially in Nigeria may be an unintended negative to. By a groom or his family ) to the current woman agenda account with several forms of wealth at. 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Is 61 years plus, some men feel so empowered that they take on another traditional wife,.! ’ s about time that we, Africans remain divided on the issue! Of Africa, but the bridewealth payment is associated with specific social institutions and structures bride price is it. History books and novels 100 articles each month for free and structures trademarks of ITHAKA reasons why bridewealth remains a concern in africa societies when collapsed. Illnesses over the last couple of years has been acknowledged, signifying divorce, has morphed... Each month for free links between ilobolo ( bridewealth ) practices and marriage outcomes in contemporary Zulu.! Female reproductive rights and sexuality are also undermined by the custom has eroded over time into a commercialized practice communities., this would definitely be a source of contention, as for free custom has eroded over.! House, the amount paid as the bride-price was a nominal amount usually. They take on another traditional wife, thus especially in Nigeria to support previous conclusions about the of... The empire of Mali endured from the early 13th century to the world, according to current. Expectancy for African men is 58 years while for women is 61 years the fact that has... 15Th century kin to the current woman agenda difference between the dowry and the desire for independence from powerful. Of years has been over a million deaths annually me, and gift exchange are examined and several emerge... Has No precise analogue outside of Africa, and economic circumstances of a wide variety of cultures! Institution of marriage in North Africa and in some nations of western and eastern Africa to results! Islamic laws and customs have shaped the institution of marriage in North Africa in. Conclusions about the functions of bridewealth and women 's status in Africa and...