Marriage and Bridewealth in a Matrilinial Society: The Case of the Tonga of Southern Zambia, 1900-1996

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Periodical article

Title:	Marriage and Bridewealth in a Matrilinial Society: The Case of the Tonga of Southern Zambia, 1900-1996
Author:	Mizinga, Flexon M.
Year:	2000
Periodical:	African Economic History
Volume:	20
Pages:	53-87
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Zambia
Subjects:	Tonga (Zambia, Zimbabwe) marriage bridewealth Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups) Women's Issues History and Exploration Cultural Roles Marital Relations and Nuptiality Historical/Biographical
External link:	https://www.jstor.org/stable/3601649
Abstract:	This study, which is based on research carried out in the Southern Province of Zambia between 1989 and 1996, examines marriage and bridewealth ('lubono') among the Tonga of southern Zambia. Bridewealth here refers to the property or wealth given by the bridegroom to his bride's relatives at the inception of his marriage. Covering the period 1900-1960, the study argues that Tonga marriage and bridewealth have been characterized by both change and continuity. The study is divided into three major sections. The first section discusses customary Tonga marriage as it existed on the eve of colonial rule. The second section examines the various influences - Christianity, the emergence of urban centres and wage employment, Western education - that impinged on marriage and the practice of bridewealth during the colonial period. The last section looks at the efforts of women to improve their lot, both within and outside the household, in the postcolonial period. Notes, ref.