Page 30 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 29
P. 30
Art & Culture
desired without encountering any issues, and in-laws who bears sons, even though this
the wives may also love each other without was not certain, and that the first wife could
noticeable challenges. assist with the children’s upbringing without
feeling envious and also regard the children
A wife may occasionally ask her husband as her own, this could bring the family hap-
to marry another wife or wives; there are piness and joy. Polygamy was both highly
a number of reasons for this, one of which promoted and lawful. Additionally, it was a
was the possibility of extensive field work. It symbol of man’s ability to exercise respon-
should be mentioned that wealth was also de- sibility, and our traditional African religion
termined by what was in granaries ( matura), could not criticize that; instead, it praised
so she could not match the field tasks given and wished for the families and the ancestral
that she could have few children. Another union to be blessed by the all-powerful Nya-
reason was that, in certain cases, menopause tene ( God).
or other underlying disorders prevented a
wife from becoming pregnant. In light of the The emergency of foreign religion and
alleged circumstances, a wife might move on western marriage practices in Africa
and ask a different woman on behalf of the
husband to be her husband’s wife. The so-called white wedding is inextricably
Furthermore, it was socially unacceptable to linked to “Christian doctrine.” Westerners in-
have a girl child alone without a male child. troduced their “Christianity” after successful-
There have been cases where women who ly colonizing Africa in various ways, which
have only girls were not respected or valued denigrates our own social and religious prac-
in their communities, which was embar- tices as well as traditional African marriage
rassing for the women. Some men who are customs, particularly polygamy, and elevates
callous or inconsiderate have even gone so their unions as holy and divinely blessed.
far as to divorce their wives and bring the They were successful in demonizing the
divorced to her relatives with a token, known established, well-organized marriage sys-
as a gupuro, signifying the end of the mar- tem that Africans considered as beneficial
riage. through the newly converted Africans. They
further classify polygamy as fornication and
As per African culture, a boy child will adultery.
enlarge or expand the clan, and the surname
and totem will survive to the next genera- In my view, the purpose of this action was
tion. Having said that, in accordance with the to prevent Africans from procreating and
above notion, after seeing the predicament, from having complete access to and control
the husband could communicate with the over their abundant resources. Additionally,
wife or inform her that he wants another wife they feared that as Africans proliferated, they
who could bear him sons. Given that the wife would also be able to fiercely oppose their
may consent and have two or more sister- colonial dominance throughout the continent.
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