Brand new percentage away from bridewealth takes up an essential status about matrimony processes all over ethnicities during the northern Ghana, including Dagaaba, Frafra and Builsa places. One of many Dagaaba, the brand new bridewealth, kyeuri, mainly constitutes eg items once the libi-pe?le (cowrie shells, come across Shape step 1), fowls, smoking and soda nuts. Occasionally, the amount of cowrie shells should be in keeping with that which is paid for the newest bride’s mommy. Various other circumstances, bonds out of solidarity between the group otherwise agreements of bride and you will groom bring about a reduction in this new commission, and if the new bride’s agnatic kin determine you to in the past the new groom’s family recharged a leading brideprice having a married relationship, he or she is probably in addition to require an expensive fee. However, there are even standardised relationship payments along side Dagaaba configurations. Currently, typically 2000 cowries, otherwise cash comparable, are generally approved because bridewealth within the Serekpere and its particular environs. That it amount stands for good grave protection of some 20,000 and you can over cowries that was recognized in identical town regarding 90s. In context off neoliberal monetary regulations, and dwindling farming returns profile in this fragile environmental area, our communication with gatekeepers revealed that the brand new cutback into amount away from cowries is meant to build marriage reasonable. That it loss in the brand new bridewealth diverges about most commercialised money said within the cities during the Ghana and elsewhere (Shope, Source Shope 2006; Posel & Rudwick, Reference Posel and Rudwick 2013). Notably, the new commission is not contingent up on the fresh new factors of one’s bride, which is, whether the bride is extremely knowledgeable, divorced, has considering delivery or not given that reported somewhere else (Borgerhoff Mulder, Source Borgerhoff Mulder 1989, Site Borgerhoff Mulder 1995; Anderson, Site Anderson 2007). The brand new conventional norms ruling the technique of bridewealth are ready out in the event that flexible aside from the bride’s socio-financial reputation or the amount of legal rights transmitted.
The former including begs on the part of the brand new groom’s kinsmen in the event the brand new bride’s loved ones are looking for so you’re able to costs an expensive brideprice
Normally, a wedding liaison is a man regarding groom’s community exactly who has some relations regarding bride’s settlement. The fresh dendeo leads this new groom’s family relations to your bride’s agnatic kin, basic in order to formally require her hand in relationship in order to spend the money for brideprice. The interactions jamaikalainen naiset of dendeo on the bride’s family unit members signify the latter is considerate for the groom with his kin. While the bridewealth could have been gone to live in and you can recognized because of the bride’s kin, the marriage union is made and you may legitimated.
The latest bridewealth one of several Dagaaba, as round the societies during the outlying north Ghana, try a complicated process of transactions amongst the agnatic kin away from the new bride and groom and you may, generally, an authorized, called a beneficial dendeo, a married relationship liaison
Normatively, the yirdandoo, your mind of your own family unit members, instead of the father of one’s bride-to-be, ‘s the caretaker of your cowries introduced as the matrimony repayments. In the a team talk inside Nator, close Serekpere, demonstrating brand new character of head of your clan, Mwinyella, a study participant, said, pointing so you’re able to his paternal cousin who is your mind out of their clan, that: ‘which man is dad and so once i wed it was his obligation to help you [pay the bridewealth] getting me’. Yet ,, getting group without resources appointed as bridewealth, the newest groom and his awesome agnatic kin have the effect of increasing they. Anderson ( Reference Anderson 2007: 159) account one in the setup round the Africa, the wedding percentage are normatively elevated from the groom’s ‘dad, father and you may father’s brothers, and with mom’s brothers to make small contributions’. That it differs, to some degree, regarding the Dagaaba account shown right here. Yet , it resonates which have bridewealth methods among some Frafra congeries, where normatively the brand new groom’s dad and you may father’s brothers are responsible for make payment on bridewealth and where he’s not able to improve it this new bridegroom transforms so you’re able to his dad’s or mother’s brothers to possess support.