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Some Factors for Cultural and Religious Transformation of Bride Wealth and Their Role on Marriage among the Bukusu
Subject area: Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities · Area of research: Religion
Abstract
The practice of bride wealth is one that has persisted for generations among the Bukusu community because of the religious role it had on marriage. Marriage was a clan affair thus every step was taken to ensure the right partner was chosen after which bride wealth was paid as it was compulsory and even the poor were helped to pay bride wealth. It helped to create friendship between the intermarrying families and stabilized marriages as the whole community was involved. However, factors such as colonialism, modernization individualism, urbanization, intermarriages and commercialization have eroded religious and cultural significance the practice was meant to serve. As a result, marriage, marital stability and family relationships have degenerated into abusive marriages, domestic violence, separation and divorce as most men ill-treat women because they paid bride wealth. Bride wealth has become an avenue of acquiring profits other than enhancing the sacred institution of marriage as every woman has a monetary value attached to her based on her education level, social status and type of employment. Moreover, there is a decline in bride wealth in marriage, the institution upon which the Bukusu families, clans and the community are founded upon. Inthis paper we assessed the evolution of beliefs and practices of bride wealth and their role on marriage among the Bukusu. The study findings revealed that the colonization of Kenya interfered with the mixed economy of the Bukusu. The economic policies of colonial government such as taxation, alienation of land, forced labor, squatter system and restriction on cash crop farming reduced the Bukusu to wage laborers hence it became difficult to raise bride wealth. Christian missionaries attacked the bride wealth practice terming it wife purchase. Many fathers took their children to school so that they could fetch them higher amounts of bride wealth. Educated women now prefer well-paying jobs and financial stability than marriage which limits their freedom through payment of bride wealth.
References
[1] Amatsimbi, M. H. (2009), The Friends church and Economic Transformation among the Luyia Western Kenya, 1902-1988. D. Phil Thesis, University of Nairobi.
[2] CREAW (2011). Bride Price: Is it Modern Day Slavery? Nairobi: The Kenya GBV Network. Available at Prevent by africaorg. Bride price book. Retrieved on 24th October, 2018
[3] Dodoo, F.N.A et al (2008). Does Education Mitigate the adverse impact of bride wealth on Women’s Reproductive Autonomy? Genux, LXX, NO 1, 77-97
[4] Barasa, K.W (1996). The Bukusu Customary Marriage. University of Nairobi.
[5] Onyango, D. (2005). Multicultural Marriages Abound. People Daily. December 4 2005
[6] Eryenyu, J. (2014). Payment of Bride Price turns Women into Commodities: Daily Monitor. Available at: www.Monitor.co.ug. Accessed 5 June 2017
[7] Oduor, O.A (2017). The Contribution of Dowry Payment in Marriages: A Proposal for Abolishment of the Payment
[8] Parsons,T.H (2022). The Rule of the Empires: Those Who Built Them, Those Who Endured Them and Why They Always Fall. Oxford University Press
[9] Okuro, S. O. (2002). The impact of colonial socio-economic policies and practices of female-headed households in Kenya: The case of Kombewa Division, Kisumu District 1894-1963. M.A Thesis., Kenyatta University.
[10] Ndirangu, N (2019). The Economics of Bride Price in Kenya. 2nd Annual Conference on the status of Women. University of Nairobi
How to cite this paper
@article{1704019,
author = {Anne Nekesa Wepukhulu },
title = {Some Factors for Cultural and Religious Transformation of Bride Wealth and Their Role on Marriage among the Bukusu},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2023},
volume = {6},
number = {7},
pages = {168-180},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1704019.pdf},
abstract = {The practice of bride wealth is one that has persisted for generations among the Bukusu community because of the religious role it had on marriage. Marriage was a clan affair thus every step was taken to ensure the right partner was chosen after which bride wealth was paid as it was compulsory and even the poor were helped to pay bride wealth. It helped to create friendship between the intermarrying families and stabilized marriages as the whole community was involved. However, factors such as colonialism, modernization individualism, urbanization, intermarriages and commercialization have eroded religious and cultural significance the practice was meant to serve. As a result, marriage, marital stability and family relationships have degenerated into abusive marriages, domestic violence, separation and divorce as most men ill-treat women because they paid bride wealth. Bride wealth has become an avenue of acquiring profits other than enhancing the sacred institution of marriage as every woman has a monetary value attached to her based on her education level, social status and type of employment. Moreover, there is a decline in bride wealth in marriage, the institution upon which the Bukusu families, clans and the community are founded upon. Inthis paper we assessed the evolution of beliefs and practices of bride wealth and their role on marriage among the Bukusu. The study findings revealed that the colonization of Kenya interfered with the mixed economy of the Bukusu. The economic policies of colonial government such as taxation, alienation of land, forced labor, squatter system and restriction on cash crop farming reduced the Bukusu to wage laborers hence it became difficult to raise bride wealth. Christian missionaries attacked the bride wealth practice terming it wife purchase. Many fathers took their children to school so that they could fetch them higher amounts of bride wealth. Educated women now prefer well-paying jobs and financial stability than marriage which limits their freedom through payment of bride wealth.},
month = {January},
}