Africa is characterized by heterosexual marriage and family-based interrelation in the world. As many of its issues are coined by the Indigenous knowledge and culture of the region, the notion and manner of marriage vary among also the outcome of culture and socialization. Ethiopia, a homeland of more than 85 nations and nationalities, has admirable and unique cultural performances across these ethnic groups. The cultural perception and the magnitude of marriage celebrations vary among people. Dowry or gift is almost the common practice undertaken in the continent. For this article the meaning and implication of it in Ethiopia and a certain African countries is presented below; from which Gamo and Shona people are taken as samples respectively.
In Gamo zone which is located in the southern part of the country, marriage could be made most of the time with the consent of the families of the couples. It is the man who selects his mate. In the process of picking up his mate, Kawo Tadesse told to The Ethiopian Herald, that the basic criteria are the following. The first thing is the girl should be from another clan or tribe because similar clans are considered as relatives and blood-tided ones. The second thing is the physical appearance and beauty of the girl. The trait and merit of the girl is also relevant in the process of arranging marriage in the eyes of the man.
After the girl is chosen by the man, he could disclose the issue to his family. Then elders could be designated and sent to the house of the girl. Then a dowry that can unanimously satisfy the family and relatives of the woman is served by the family of the man.
As Dr. Addisu Adamu, CEO of Gamo TV, said the family of the man is going to send lots of gifts. But these all gifts are supposed to be used for consumption purpose. The woman’s family is not allowed to use gifts that could include butter, money, or any other items as sources of any form of wealth. If they use it, it is going to be considered as an exchange of the woman with the mentioned materials, which is a type of sin or Gomie in the community culture. This culture is the direct opposite of the culture of Shona. The dowry in Shona is simply used as a tool to take the woman in exchange for the material. But Gamo people give the dowry to the woman’s family to let them enjoy and make fun of it for the time. If it is used as a source of wealth, it could be considered a means of exchange. Thus, to prevent that perception, the elders dictate the people to use it for the said purpose if they don’t do that it becomes a sin or Gomie.
After the marriage is conducted the family of the man will send a gift to the family of the woman if she is a virgin. Since she is honest and decent, she will be called perfect or Mulu. As Addisu explained to show respect and appreciation since it is her family that shapes her to be decent a gift is served to convey this meaning. The implication of this gift in the eyes of the community is highly needed by any family. The woman’s family is going to receive the admiration, gratitude, and respect of the community. Since the community is administered by cultural laws and regulations, families that receive such adorations will be considered in the process of appointing any form of leader.
In Zimbabwe marriage which had been done since the pre-colonial period in Shona people is made culturally. The man’s family sends a dowry called roora to the woman’s family for a marriage proposal. But the implication of the dowry in the eyes of the people is quite different from that of the Gamo people. Beach noted that roora was paid to compensate the woman’s clan for the loss of productive labor which also served as enough reason to exclude women from direct control of the means of production” (1980, p. 342). This means that women were used as objects of exchange, an exchange that is perceived as implying equality. Once the family members of the woman receive this gift, they do not bother about the safety or situation of their daughter. It is up to the will of the man who gave that dowry to decide about the fate of woman. The gift entitle husbands legal control over wives and children and their labor.
Here the dowry itself is made at different timing and implications. In Gamo culture, the gift is served after the assurance of the woman’s virginity. And the implication of the gift is respecting her family. But in Shona people, the gift is served before marriage. The implication is to use the present as compensation for the loss of the power of the woman. The mean of this dowry is very huge. Moss and Lorraine also confirmed that “the roora legitimizes the husband’s right to his wife’s labor and to physical intimacy to her. He also gains legal authority over her reproductive organs. He had the right to possess all children born to her” (1999, p. 298).
In Gamo people, the married woman is taken into the house that is constructed by her father in law in the same compound. In this house, she is going to be cared for and fed well by her mother-in-law and sister-in-laws. She is not expected to handle any type of domestic chores or any other field work. She is simply kept secure till the day of her show up called Sophie. Her beauty and comfort is needed by the family of her husband since the community is going to judge this family as good, generous or the opposite just by detecting the appearance of the woman. Thus, the woman is not allowed to get out of her house before the program of Sophie.
But in Shona people, the woman is expected to take over the household chores. As scholars stated Shona women especially married ones were supposed to overcome household errands. This subordination was visible on a daily basis. Cooking food culturally is allotted for the woman. The life that she could have with her husband is up to her to continue leading it in whatever matter and situation she is in. No one is expected to worry for her once the gift is served. But Gamo woman is kept restfully at least till the day of Sophie.
Though the women in the two nations are supposed to take care of the household work, the magnitude and severity of patriarchy in the people across the region is not the same. In Gamo culture, though women are supposed to work on the household chores, but the arrangement of the seats made for men and women is the same. As Ato Womdifraw, the communication officer of Gamo Zone told to The Ethiopian Herald, there is no varied sitting placement for the two sexes, but women most of the time prefer to sit away from men. But in Shona culture, as Beach (1994) stated, in the gathering of both men and women, the women are supposed to sit on the mats, and men sit on top of them on the mud ledge. It was necessary to arrange Shona’s home in the style of mats on the ground and top of it, the raised mud ledge where males could sit on .
Thus, in the two communities, the meaning and implication given to marriage and dowry is different in line with the intensity and severity of patriarchy. Such indigenous cultures are very relevant to be examined and modified progressively to bring change in gender equality and shared societal harmony. I believe sustainable development and equal satisfaction are possible when every situation is equally addressed and accessed by females and males. Thus, Gamo culture which had a platform for modification is quite relevant for intruding on the issue through indigenous knowledge and culture.
BY MEKDES TAYE (PhD)
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 2 NOVEMBER 2024
