Significant freedom characterises brideprice and other methods regulate individuals Dagaaba congeries
The new commission of bridewealth uses up a significant position on the relationship techniques across ethnicities in north Ghana, along with Dagaaba, Frafra and Builsa places. One of several Dagaaba, the latest bridewealth, kyeuri, primarily constitutes particularly activities as the libi-pe?le (cowrie shells, discover Contour 1), fowls, tobacco and you can cola insane. In some instances, the amount of cowrie shells need to be in keeping with whatever is actually paid for the brand new bride’s mother. In other period, bonds away from solidarity between your household otherwise settlements of one’s bride to be and you will bridegroom produce a reduction in brand new commission, while brand new bride’s agnatic kin influence one to in the past new groom’s family members energized a top brideprice getting a marriage, he could be browsing together with insist upon an excessive fee. Nevertheless, there are even standardised wedding repayments along side Dagaaba setup. Currently, typically 2000 cowries, or bucks equivalent, are usually acknowledged because bridewealth inside the Serekpere and its own environments. It number means an excellent grave avoidance regarding an amount of 20,000 and you can over cowries which was accepted in identical urban area regarding the 90s. For the perspective regarding neoliberal financial guidelines, and you can dwindling agricultural efficiency profile within fine ecological zone, our telecommunications that have gatekeepers indicated that the fresh new cutback to your count regarding cowries is meant to build relationships reasonable. So it losing brand new bridewealth diverges in the very commercialised money advertised in the urban areas from inside the Ghana and you may someplace else (Shope, Reference Shope 2006; Posel & Rudwick, Source Posel and you can Rudwick 2013). Importantly, the newest payment is not contingent upon the fresh new circumstances of your bride to be, which is, perhaps the bride is highly experienced, separated, has considering birth or not given that advertised elsewhere (Borgerhoff Mulder, Resource Borgerhoff Mulder 1989, Reference Borgerhoff Mulder 1995; Anderson, Source Anderson 2007). The newest typical norms ruling the practice of bridewealth are ready away in the event the flexible despite brand new bride’s socio-economic standing or the amount of liberties transported.
The former including begs on behalf of the brand new groom’s kinsmen when the the fresh bride’s friends are seeking so you’re able to charges an exorbitant brideprice
Generally, a married relationship liaison is a man from the groom’s community which has many affairs about bride’s settlement. This new dendeo prospects this Stuttgart cute girl new groom’s family relations on bride’s agnatic kin, first in order to formally ask for their own hand in matrimony and also to spend the money for brideprice. The fresh affairs of your own dendeo into the bride’s friends signify the latter try considerate with the bridegroom with his kin. Because bridewealth could have been moved to and you will accepted by bride’s kin, the wedding union is made and you may legitimated.
The fresh new bridewealth one of many Dagaaba, since across the communities in the rural north Ghana, was an elaborate procedure of transactions between the agnatic kin out of the new bride and groom and you will, generally, an authorized, titled an excellent dendeo, a marriage liaison
Normatively, the newest yirdandoo, your head of loved ones, rather than the father of one’s fiance, is the custodian of cowries lead since the marriage costs. In the a group discussion in the Nator, near Serekpere, indicating the fresh part of lead of your clan, Mwinyella, research new member, explained, directing so you’re able to their paternal buddy who’s your face away from his clan, that: ‘so it guy are my father and therefore while i marry it was their obligations to [afford the bridewealth] for me’. Yet, getting group as opposed to resources appointed just like the bridewealth, the new bridegroom and his awesome agnatic kin are responsible for raising it. Anderson ( Source Anderson 2007: 159) records one to when you look at the configurations across Africa, the marriage fee was normatively raised because of the groom’s ‘dad, grandfather and father’s brothers, in accordance with mother’s brothers and then make small contributions’. It varies, to an extent, on Dagaaba membership displayed right here. But really they resonates which have bridewealth practices one of certain Frafra congeries, where normatively the new groom’s dad and you can father’s brothers have the effect of paying the bridewealth and you may where they are struggling to improve they the bridegroom transforms to his dad’s or mother’s brothers getting help.