Monday, December 31, 2012

QUESTION: What is the different between Tanzania mariage of today and that of previous time?

QUESTION: What is the different between Tanzania mariage of today and that of previous time?


Marriage is the union of different two sir names friendship and in love in order to continue the posterity of the formal stages and furnish those who shall preside at the sacrifice to heaven and death at these ancestral temple and those at alters to the spirit of the land and grain. Marriage it is the social union or contact between people that create kinship, it is an institution in which interpersonal relationship usually intimate and sexual are acknowledged in variety of some ways depending on the culture and subculture in which it is found such a union often formalized via a word ceremony, may also be called matrimony. People marry for many reasons like legal, social, emotional, economics as well as religious influence.
Marriage is usually recognized by state, religious, authority or both. It is often viewed as a contract.
Anthropologist has proposed several definition of marriage that is a more or more durable connection between male and female, lasting beyond the mere act of propagation till after the birth of offspring that is according to Edvard Westmark, (1921).Also marriage is the relation of one or more men to one or more women, that recognized by customs or laws (Edvard Westmark, 1936).
The anthropological hand book notes and queries (1951), defined marriage as the union between man and women such that children born to the women are recognized legitimate offspring of both partners. Also Hughes and Kloehler, (2005), defined marriage as a socially approved between two more individual that is undertaken with some ideal of performance.
According to our own views, we have defined marriage in two ways:-
Marriage is the reproductive union of female and male which appreciated by parent, religion, civil or legal.
Also marriage is the sexual combination of one or more women married by one or more men at a same time.
Freeman (1993) has stipulated some marriage laws that state that;
The above introductory part makes a clear understanding on the total or general meaning of marriage but the following are forms or types of marriage practiced in Tanzania:-
Firstly, monogamy, this is a type of marriage where by one man marry one women at the time, and this is mostly be practiced by the Christian.
Secondly, is polygamy, this is a type of marriage involving one man marries more that one woman at the same time commonly practiced by Muslims.
Thirdly, polyandry, this also is a type of marriage where by two or more husband having one wife, and this is commonly practiced by Maasai people in Tanzania where it called planting spear. This is not legalized but it is from the tradition influence.
Then, there is traditional marriage, this also is a type of marriage in this the union of two people is done traditionally and not modern ways like nowadays wedding. And this type of marriage the regards it as a marriage of polygamy. In Tanzania marriage age before 1994 was 15th for girls, although the over age for marriage after 1994 was 23rd for women and 25th for men (Mukangara and Koda, 1997).
Then also there is endogamy, this is a type of marriage that tend to occur within the same class, race, religious or kin. Christians are the one who prefer this of marriage whereby one can choose a member within his or her religious. This is just from the influence of Holly Bible in the book of 2nd Corinthian: 6:14.
Then there is exogamy, this is a type of marriage where it occurs without considering race, classes and religion and other ethics, also is the opposites of endogamy.
Looking in the general concept of marriage and its form above, it can not provide you with the clear understanding on the matter of marriage. So the following are the function of marriage according to various scholars:-
Kinsley Davis has four function of marriage that are reproduction where the family has to reproduce an offspring, and secondary he put maintenance that means marriage needs to be repaired if damaged. Thirdly he over look on placement that means marriage has its own place to live. And finally he looked on socialization that means marriage has to socialize itself within a society that means to live accordingly to the society.
Then also America sociologist has com out with six vital function of marriage, that sociologist William F. Ogbun, his six function of marriage are; Reproduction, Protection where this means the marriage have to defend itself and its member. Then also Socialization, Regulation of sex behavior that means fidelity and faithfulness within marriage. Also Affection and companionship that is intimacy love among marriage members. Lastly, provision of social status. It is the marriage that gives out education, names, and other basic needs within family member.
In our own perspective on function of marriage, we can group that function into thee. That means; Social function, Economic functions as well as political function.
The following are some of ways in which Tanzania  marriage practiced, and this is in a comparative way between the past ways of marriage and present or modern ways of engages in marriage.
In the past time girls were chosen a boy to marry, that means the parent in the side of a boy having authority to choose a girl for their son, and some times the parent on the side of girl also can choose a good and heard worker boy for their daughter. This past b\way is to differ from the modern days where by girls and boys are meeting themselves and discussing the matter concerning with their relationship.
Considered wealth was practically on both sides, that means parents needed their sons to marry or their daughter to be married to the family of the same life status. That means, if one part is economically fit should marry the part where there is good economic status, for example in sukuma tribe. But nowadays marriage is not considering on wealth, in this the poor can get married by a rich and also the rich can marry the poor.  
Then there is an issue of dowry, that’s were to be paid in terms of money or cattle, after payment dowry the spouses have to stay to their parents without meeting for about two to three years, where by this has changed in this modern society.
There is also a time when a girl was given some instruction from her aunt, mothers as well as elders like grand mothers, where it called kitchen-part and it has been simplified and it done for a very short time compared that of past time.
Also there is an issue of bride price, in this a boy child family is the one who have to that kind of bride price, and after payment of bride price there was a ceremony and it was like of nowadays, but this ceremony are more modernize compared to that of early time.
The issue of virginity was considered, that that means a boy should marry a girls who is virgin. But this is quiet different to present time where by a boy just need to have married but not considering the virginity of the girl. On witnessing this, the spouses have to sleep on the white bed sheet where the aunt was the one to witness through looking in the bed sheet.
Women was not allowed to call the names of her husband but husband can call the name of his wife.
Then also in Tanzania we have the matter of divorce, where by men and women are separated themselves because of various reasons. It appear that divorced do not face social pressure to remarry. The 1971 marriage act requires that all divorces be made final in civil court. The aim of this is to decrease the rate of divorce. About 1.43% of the population aged 10 and above were divorced in 1988 this percentage of had grown to 4%. The marriage laws provides no clear  provision for the divisional of matrimonial assets and many unemployed women end up with nothing (Rwebangira, 1995).
Then also there is issue of inheritance of assets or properties where is there is based on patriarchy owning system, that means the women have no authority over family properties.
RCOMMANDATION
-In case of Tanzania marriage, the bride price is should be reduced hence other people are un able to pay bride price since it is the among of ways that cause family inequality.
-In one way or another polygamy can cause sexual transmitted diseases if there is no fidelity among the spouses.
-Discrimination should be avoided have we have seen in endogamy, in one person have to marry within the same religion, class, race, ethics as well as status.
-And also there should be equal inheritance of property not basing on patriarchy.
-Lastly, divorce is avoidable when spouses are living a peaceful means, of no conflict or misunderstanding within the family.
Conclusion, the society need to create some better ways that would make a good linkage between past marriage ways and presence marriage ways this could enable the society to escape some of disease like Sexual Transmitted Diseases (STD’s) inspite Tanzania marriage is some how good because it gives the freedom of choice among the spouses, but some tribes like Maasai are strickted by there own traditions, freedom of marriage is based on the issue of bride price one with no finances can marry or be married through civil marriage.
REFERENCES
Hughes, M. and Kroehler, J. C. (2005),sociology the core, 7th Edition
Maccionis, J. J.  and Plummer, K. (2008),sociology a global introduction, 4th        
            Edition, England, Peason Education ltd
Shankara Rao, C. N. (2006),sociology a principle of sociology with introduction t
              To social thought, 6th Edition, India University, Regend Ravindra.
Schaefer, T. R. (2008),sociology matters, 3rd Edition, New York, Mc Graw Hill
  
POWERED BY CHIWAMBO AUSI R. TEOFILO KISANJI UNIVERSITY (TEKU) MAY 2012

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