The Kamusi Project
Brideprice
Submitted by Sue-in-USA on 22 April 2007 - 12:25pm
I am interested in learning more about the customary bride price (paid to the parents of the woman) in Tanzania, such as:
- the types and quantities of items included (cows, goats, cash, other items, etc.)
- brideprice differences by region, religion, etc.
- comparisons of modern brideprice to the historical
I would also be interested in learning more about any other pre-marriage types of payments in Tanzania that are made to the bride from the groom, to the groom from the bride, etc.
Any information and modern examples would be most appreciated. Asante.
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English
Swahili
Mahari
Nimetoka Tanzania Kusini mwezi wa tano wa mwaka huu, na rafiki zangu wameoa muda mfupi uliopita na mmoja nafikiri alilipa ng'ombe tatu na wabuzi fulani, lakini familia walifurahi kupokea hera pia. Yeye alikuwa mwalimu, basi hakuwa na ng'ombe. Mwishoni, alilipa Tsh 400,000, nafikiri. Basi mkuu wangu, aliniambia kwamba wamasai wanalipa 400 - 600 ng'ombe kwa binti mweusi zaidi.
mahari
Nowadays there seems to be a trend towards standardization of "ng'ombe nne".
Older adults in Mbeya region told me that in their youth (1950ies / 60ies) the usual thing was to give the parents a blanket, some sugar and dig their field. That was more of a token of appreciation.
I heard in southern TZ that older people blamed the cattle-keeping tribes for the inflation who used to have the cow-currency before which has become fashionable.
In urban environment you calculate it in cash (price for cows used to be in the papers).
Some Christians are refusing to give or accept it that`s what I see from a friend but he is a very stubborn type who managed to chuckle away the complaints of his wifes family until after some 20-30 years their marraige was the last intact one among the sisters and so the mother in law finally finished the debate by canceling any idea of a debt.
A Ugandan friend told me that in their area the usual mahari would be 2, 3 goats. But a Southern Sudanese once came up to me and asked for some help because he had to get 80 cows! (I told him to look for a girl from Uganda and give me 5% of the cow-value he saved).
Its is a very wide field.