It loss of this new bridewealth diverges on the really commercialised repayments said into the urban areas during the Ghana and in other places (Shope, 2006; Posel & Rudwick, 2013)
The latest commission of bridewealth uses up an important position on wedding process across the ethnicities for the northern Ghana, also Dagaaba, Frafra and you will Builsa places. One of several Dagaaba, the fresh bridewealth, kyeuri, mainly comprises including facts since the libi-pe?le (cowrie shells, discover Figure step one ), fowls, smoking and cola insane. In many cases, the amount of cowrie shells must be commensurate with that which is taken care of the new bride’s mommy. In other days, bonds regarding solidarity amongst the family otherwise agreements of your bride-to-be and bridegroom trigger a reduction in new percentage, of course, if the newest bride’s agnatic kin influence one previously the fresh new groom’s relatives recharged a leading brideprice to possess a wedding, he is attending also insist on an exorbitant fee. Nonetheless, there are also standardized matrimony costs over the Dagaaba settings. Currently, an average of 2000 cowries, otherwise cash similar, are often recognized because bridewealth in Serekpere and its particular environs. This matter is short for an excellent grave cures out of some 20,000 and more than cowries which was recognized in the same city on 1990’s. In perspective away from neoliberal economic regulations, and you can diminishing farming output membership inside sensitive ecological region, our interaction with gatekeepers showed that new cutback into the matter out-of cowries is intended to build matrimony sensible. Importantly, the fresh new payment is not contingent on the fresh new items of bride-to-be, that is, whether the bride to be is extremely experienced, divorced, has recently considering delivery or not since reported in other places (Borgerhoff Mulder, 1989, 1995; Anderson, 2007). Brand new classic norms governing the practice of bridewealth are prepared away in the event that flexible irrespective of the fresh new bride’s socio-financial updates or the amount of liberties transmitted.
Anderson (2007: 159) records you to definitely inside setup across the Africa, the marriage fee is actually normatively raised of the groom’s ‘dad, grandfather and dad’s brothers, in accordance with mom’s brothers and then make quick contributions’
The fresh new bridewealth one of the Dagaaba, once the across the societies in the outlying northern Ghana, are an meeting women Vienne in France intricate procedure of deals amongst the agnatic kin from the bride and groom and you may, normally, a third party, titled a good dendeo, a marriage liaison. Usually, a married relationship liaison try men on the groom’s village which has some interactions regarding bride’s payment. The latest dendeo prospects new groom’s family unit members toward bride’s agnatic kin, first to formally ask for their hand-in wedding in order to afford the brideprice. Brand new relationships of your own dendeo toward bride’s family signify the second try considerate on groom along with his kin. The former also pleads for the newest groom’s kinsmen if the the fresh bride’s family want to help you fees an expensive brideprice. Given that bridewealth might have been relocated to and you can acknowledged because of the bride’s kin, the marriage relationship is created and you may legitimated.
Normatively, the brand new yirdandoo, the head of family unit members, rather than the father of your bride to be, ‘s the custodian of one’s cowries put given that matrimony payments. At a group dialogue in the Nator, near Serekpere, exhibiting the fresh part of one’s lead of the clan, Mwinyella, a report new member, said, directing to his paternal buddy that is your mind out-of their clan, that: ‘which people is actually dad and thus as i marry it might be their obligation so you can [afford the bridewealth] to possess me’. Yet ,, to have parents versus resources appointed given that bridewealth, the latest bridegroom and his awesome agnatic kin have the effect of increasing it. So it changes, to some degree, about Dagaaba account displayed here. But really they resonates with bridewealth practices among certain Frafra congeries, in which normatively the groom’s dad and dad’s brothers are responsible for paying the bridewealth and you may where he’s not able to boost they brand new bridegroom turns so you’re able to his dad’s otherwise mom’s brothers having assistance.