Research Items

Abstract

Marriage in Africa.—From an extended study of the principles of Bantu marriage, Mr. E. Torday in Africa, vol. 2, No. 3, draws certain conclusions as to its essential features and directs attention to their practical bearing. In the present state of our knowledge, Bantu marriage appears to be the marriage of one man and one woman for the begetting of legitimate children in whom one of the two souls of the parents is perpetuated, and these will, after their parents' death, perform for them the rites and offer to them the sacrifices on which their happiness in the world of spirits depends. This is based upon a contract be- tween two freely consenting adults whom it binds to conjugal fidelity on pain of temporal and spiritual penalties. It is indissoluble and liable to be extended beyond the grave by proxy if necessary to secure offspring. This arrangement has been disturbed by polygyny, which has affected the balance of the sexes, withdrawing a number of nubile females from the marriage market, and lowering the marriage age, leading further to a deterioration of sexual morals and adultery and divorce. ‘Earnest ’, originally a symbol, is assuming more and more the character of a price on the bride. In its practical aspect this has led to a legal recognition of polygyny and a lower age for marriage than Bantu custom sanctions. Infant betrothal should be forbidden by law; nor should the growth of loholo be allowed to pass unchecked into purchase money.