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Periodical article Periodical article Leiden University catalogue Leiden University catalogue WorldCat catalogue WorldCat
Title:Implications of Failure to Pay Bridewealth among the Tumbuka of Western Rumphi
Author:Munthali, Alister C.ISNI
Year:2003
Periodical:The Society of Malawi Journal
Volume:56
Issue:1
Pages:5-13
Language:English
Notes:biblio. refs.
Geographic terms:Malawi
Central Africa
Subjects:Tumbuka
kinship
bridewealth
Cultural Roles
Marital Relations and Nuptiality
Women and Their Children
Anthropology, Folklore, Culture
Bride price
Childlessness
marriage
Traditional practices
Tumbuka (African people)
External link:https://www.jstor.org/stable/29779114
Abstract:This study into the implications of failure to pay bridewealth among the Tumbuka was carried out mostly in Chisinde in the area of Traditional Authority Chikulamayembe in western Rumphi, Malawi. The Tumbuka being a patrilineal society, upon marriage the woman moves to the husband's home village. After a brief introduction on Tumbuka history, descent system and social organization, the author discusses the payments a man's family has to make to the woman's family, viz. 'chikhole', 'mukhuzi wa nyina', 'chiwanda' and 'malowolo', in order for the marriage to be recognized by the woman's family. Failure to pay this bridewealth has several implications: in case of the wife's death, her burial may be delayed. Furthermore, if bridewealth has not been paid, the children from the marriage will belong not to their father's but to their mother's lineage. Tumbuka also believe that ancestors can cause a lot of misfortunes or disease to the newly-wed woman, including infertility. Bibliogr., notes, ref. [ASC Leiden abstract]
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