Considerable freedom characterises brideprice as well as other modalities control some Dagaaba congeries
So it reduction in the new bridewealth diverges regarding the most commercialised payments stated inside urban areas inside the Ghana and you will elsewhere (Shope, 2006; Posel & Rudwick, 2013)
The new payment of bridewealth occupies a significant updates on the relationship procedure across the ethnicities inside northern Ghana, as well as Dagaaba, Frafra and you can Builsa regions. One of the Dagaaba, the fresh new bridewealth, kyeuri, generally comprises eg items because libi-pe?le (cowrie shells, select Figure step one ), fowls, cigarette and you may soda wild. In many cases, the amount of cowrie shells should be commensurate with that which try taken care of brand new bride’s mom. Various other days, bonds out of solidarity within household or agreements of the fiance and you will groom end up in a reduction in the fresh new fee, while this new bride’s agnatic kin dictate that in earlier times the fresh groom’s loved ones recharged a leading brideprice having a wedding, he or she is likely to also require an excessive commission. However, there are also standardized relationships payments over the Dagaaba configurations. Right now, typically 2000 cowries, otherwise cash comparable, are acknowledged once the bridewealth inside Serekpere as well as environs. Which number stands for a good grave protection from some 20,000 and you can more than cowries that was acknowledged in the same town on the 90s. Inside the framework off neoliberal financial formula, and you may dwindling agricultural output accounts inside fragile environmental region, our very own telecommunications which have gatekeepers showed that this new cutback towards the count out of cowries is intended to create marriage reasonable. Notably, the fresh new fee is not contingent on the brand new circumstances of one’s bride to be, that’s, if the bride to be is extremely educated, separated, has already offered delivery or perhaps not given that advertised somewhere else (Borgerhoff Mulder, 1989, 1995; Anderson, 2007). The brand new regular norms governing the practice of bridewealth are set away if negotiable regardless of the latest bride’s socio-monetary condition and/or number of liberties directed.
Anderson (2007: 159) account one to for the configurations round the Africa, the marriage percentage is normatively elevated by the groom’s ‘dad, father and you will father’s brothers, and with mother’s brothers and then make brief contributions’
The newest bridewealth among Dagaaba, as the across the societies into the outlying north Ghana, is actually a complex procedure for transactions amongst the agnatic kin out-of the new groom and bride and you can, typically, a third party, named a good dendeo, a married relationship liaison. Generally speaking, a married relationship liaison is men throughout the groom’s town exactly who has some relations regarding bride’s payment. The newest dendeo prospects the new groom’s family relations towards bride’s agnatic kin, first in order to officially require their own hand-in relationship and afford the brideprice. The newest relationships of your own dendeo with the bride’s family unit members mean that the second try careful to the bridegroom and his kin. The previous also pleads on behalf of new groom’s kinsmen when the new bride’s relatives are seeking to help you charge an inflated brideprice. Since bridewealth might have been gone to live in and recognized by the bride’s kin, the wedding union is created and you will legitimated.
Normatively, this new yirdandoo, your mind of your family relations, as opposed to the dad of the bride-to-be, is the caretaker of one’s cowries delivered because relationships payments. During the a group discussion when you look at the Nator, close Serekpere, indicating new role of lead of one’s clan, Mwinyella, a research fellow member, informed me, pointing so you’re able to their paternal uncle who is your face away from their clan, that: ‘this people is actually my dad and so whenever i wed it will be their obligation in order to [spend the money for bridewealth] to possess me’. Yet ,, having household in place of resources appointed since the bridewealth, the groom with his agnatic kin have the effect of elevating it. That it differs, to some degree, in the Dagaaba account presented right here. Yet , they resonates with bridewealth methods one of some Frafra congeries, where normatively the fresh new groom’s father and you will dad’s brothers are responsible for make payment on bridewealth and you can where they are struggling to improve it the new bridegroom turns to their dad’s otherwise mom’s brothers having service.