Marriage in Traditional African Society and It’s Televance Essay

The African marriage is full of deep-rooted culture that can non be wished away. African culture and traditions are handed down from generation to generation. The African marriage is an integral part of the whole African culture and was a rite of passage for every mature bit and wo domain. In African tradition, marriage was done after someone had gone through the puerile stage where different lessons on respect, morality and upholding the tribes culture and traditions. Once the man found a lady who was willing to marry him and of his choice, the man and his tribe would go and visit the ladys family and get permission from the brides parents. He would visit the home with a few of his peers and they would wait in the simba (bachelors hut) as the man went to get confirmation from the brides family. If he legitimate good news he would come back and tell his peers. This conventional practice is still applicable as it is respectful for a suitor to get permission from the brides famil y if he should marry their daughter.Though not compulsory in todays society, it is a good launch of faith from the brides family that they entrust their daughter in the mans hands. The dowry ceremony which was known as Ayie (which means I agree). The mans family would visit the cleaning womans homestead. It is on the Ayie ceremony that a groom officially meets the parents of the bride for the first time all other visits that could corroborate pull awayn place prior to the Ayie ceremony are unofficial and in some cases whitethorn attract disciplinary action on the groom. If a groom visits the parents of the bride but without the intention to pay Ayie during the visit, he may be considered undisciplined, as his action may be interpreted as high-handedness or prematurely show off his relationship with the bride to her parents to time, although the mother of the bride may negotiate a higher price whilst the groom may likewise negotiate a lower price.The dowry ceremony is still rel evant in todays society as its a sign of appreciation to the brides family for taking care of her. Polygamy in tralatitious Luo society is rampant. The man was allowed to marry to marry as many an(prenominal) wives as he wished.This practice, though now constitutional is irrelevant in that around Luo men of today are Christians and conduct religious wedding ceremonies which hinder the union of a man to more than one woman. The practice is withal expensive and does not cater for the needs of the women in the relationship. There was in any case wife inheritance in tralatitious Luo society. Once a womans husband died one of his brothers was to cater to all her needs and would take her in as a wife. This practice caused emotional distress to the grief widow and also allowed for the spread of diseases such as HIV/AIDS. The traditional Luo marriage ceremony has its pros and cons. Like in every culture thither are many important values to carry on and many practices that cannot be sustained in the 21st century. As individuals it is up to us to sift through the good in every culture and alter it or throw away the irrelevant.