QUESTION: What is the different between Tanzania marriage 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
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
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
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
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
-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
Schaefer, T. R. (2008),sociology matters, 3rd Edition, New York
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