Ways through which a marriage partner is chosen in traditional African communities.

Ways through which a marriage partner is chosen in traditional African communities.

1. A relative/mediator/identifies a girl from  a family and suggested to the of the family of the young man.
2. Parents make the decision for children when still young.
3. Parents of the boy visits the parents of a girl to ask for her hand in marriage.
4. The young people could court and choose who to marry
5. The first wife chooses a girl for her husband.
6. The young man and his age-mates waylay a girl and take her away for marriage.
7. Bride-price could be paid to a family well in advance
8. A young girl can be given as gift to another family
9. Some exchange the girls from the two families.
10. One could inherit a brother’s wife
11. A young girl could be given a way of settling a dispute/replace one who had died/setting debts.