Considerable flexibility characterises brideprice and other modalities regulate certain Dagaaba congeries
New payment out-of bridewealth occupies a significant position regarding relationship process round the ethnicities within the north Ghana, plus Dagaaba, Frafra and you may Builsa regions. Among Dagaaba, the latest bridewealth, kyeuri, mostly constitutes such as for example facts once the libi-pe?le (cowrie shells, pick Contour step one), fowls, cig and you may soda insane. Sometimes, the degree of cowrie shells must be consistent with whatever is purchased new bride’s mommy. In other instances, bonds regarding solidarity within parents or agreements of the bride to be and you may groom cause a decrease in brand new fee, and if new bride’s agnatic kin dictate you to in the past the newest groom’s family unit members energized a leading brideprice to own a married relationship, he or she is attending including insist upon an exorbitant commission. Nonetheless, there are even standardised relationship repayments along the Dagaaba configurations. At this time, typically 2000 cowries, otherwise dollars comparable, are generally accepted once the bridewealth inside Serekpere and its own environments. So it matter represents a beneficial grave cures off an amount of 20,000 and over cowries that was recognized in identical urban area on 1990’s. Inside perspective of neoliberal financial procedures, and you will diminishing farming output accounts within delicate ecological area, the interaction which have gatekeepers indicated that brand new cutback on number of cowries is meant to make marriage reasonable. This reduction in the brand new bridewealth diverges in the very commercialised costs advertised for the towns inside Ghana and you will in other places (Shope, Resource Shope 2006; Posel & Rudwick, Reference Posel and Rudwick 2013). Notably, the brand new percentage is not contingent on the fresh new items of bride-to-be, that’s, whether the bride-to-be is extremely knowledgeable, separated, has already given delivery or otherwise not since reported somewhere else (Borgerhoff Mulder, Reference Borgerhoff Mulder 1989, Resource Borgerhoff Mulder 1995; Anderson, Reference Anderson 2007). The fresh standard norms governing the practice of bridewealth are ready away in the event the negotiable regardless of the fresh new bride’s socio-financial updates or perhaps the number of liberties transported.
The previous along with begs on the behalf of the new groom’s kinsmen in the event that the fresh bride’s family want to help you costs an excessive brideprice
Generally speaking, a wedding liaison try one regarding the groom’s village who has some interactions throughout the bride’s payment. The dendeo guides the fresh new groom’s family unit members into bride’s agnatic kin, very first to officially request her hand-in relationships and also to afford the brideprice. The newest interactions of the dendeo towards the bride’s family unit members indicate that the second was careful towards groom and his kin. Since bridewealth might have been relocated to and you will approved by the bride’s kin, the wedding partnership is formed and you can https://getbride.org/kuumat-guatemalan-naiset/ legitimated.
The latest bridewealth among the Dagaaba, as across communities during the outlying north Ghana, was a complex process of deals between your agnatic kin of new bride and groom and, generally speaking, a third party, named a good dendeo, a wedding liaison
Normatively, the fresh yirdandoo, your mind of family relations, instead of the father of your bride-to-be, is the custodian of cowries introduced once the marriage payments. On a team conversation when you look at the Nator, close Serekpere, demonstrating the fresh part of your own lead of the clan, Mwinyella, a report participant, explained, pointing to his paternal bro who’s the head out of their clan, that: ‘this guy is my father and thus as i get married they would be their obligation so you’re able to [spend the money for bridewealth] having me’. But really, getting parents instead info designated while the bridewealth, new bridegroom and his agnatic kin have the effect of increasing it. Anderson ( Reference Anderson 2007: 159) reports you to definitely inside settings around the Africa, the wedding commission are normatively increased from the groom’s ‘dad, father and you will father’s brothers, and with mom’s brothers and make quick contributions’. So it changes, to an extent, regarding the Dagaaba membership displayed right here. Yet it resonates that have bridewealth practices certainly certain Frafra congeries, in which normatively the groom’s dad and you will father’s brothers are responsible for paying the bridewealth and where he could be not able to raise it the brand new bridegroom turns to their father’s or mom’s brothers having assistance.
