Marriage customs in Africa

Marriage ceremonies within Africa vary greatly between countries due to the diversity of culture and religion throughout the continent.

The wedding is an exceptionally respected tradition within Africa due to their deeply rooted appreciation for the notion of family.

Many African communities believe marriage is primarily about procreation and providing for children as this is seen as the foundation of society.

Due to the sheer size and diversity of Africa, wedding customs vary greatly not just between countries but between local communities.

There is a growing trend among African communities where wedding ceremonies and marriage processes are blending traditional customs with modern practices.

This is evident throughout many locations within Africa, where Catholic and Islamic followers will participate in traditional customs as well as ones typical to their religion.

Examples of this include the exchange of marital vows and modern wedding attire being worn by the bride and groom.

Enormous economic growth within the continent has caused the bridewealth payment to inflate so significantly that many couples are now straying from the tradition, instead opting for other forms of marriage.

[10] In contrast to this practice, other African communities such as many Moroccan ethnic groups participate in a marital custom known as “dowry”.

Children are taught through folktales that families built on love and attraction risk damaging the foundation of their community.

The Yoruba teach proverbs such as ““Bi omode ba to loko, aa fun loko, bi o ba to l’ada, aa fun l’ada” which translates to “when a child is ripe for hoe, he is given a hoe, if he is ripe for cutlass, he is given cutlass”.

Some African academics have argued that this is a strong foundation for a society and that it is the woman's role to attend to household duties.

[12] The married couple would have fairly minimal interaction with one another, to such an extent that the wife would often refer to her husband as the father of her sons name.

[12] This form of relationship emphasizes the importance of marriage towards social stability and minimizes the significance of the bond between the husband and wife.

Some African couples are opting to bypass the legal marriage status entirely and alternatively having irregular unions as a symbol of their love and connection.

[12] The results show a dramatic shift away from traditional beliefs within African communities, with young people holding more progressive attitudes towards relationships and marriage.

The rapid economic advancement of Africa is having an enormous impact on the youth and the attitudes they hold towards marriage.