article

Secondary marriage in northern Nigeria

Africa23 (4) • Published In 1953 • Pages: 298-323

By: Smith, M. G. (Michael Garfield).

Abstract
This is a look at marriage practices among the Kagoro and Kadara (FF34). The author makes the case that marriages play an important role along with religious rituals in maintaining social organization. Both groups are organized into localized, exogamous patrilineages, several of which can reside in the same village. A group of villages form a community that shares religious activities. There are three types of marriage: betrothal, widow-inheritance, and so-called "secondary marriage." Betrothal most often occurs between lineages living in the same community, and involves bride payment and service. In widow-inheritance, a man may inherit the wife of his real or classificatory brother, or the wife of his maternal or paternal grandfather. Secondary marriage occurs when a wife deserts her husband to live with another man. The first marriage is never annulled and the wife may in fact return to him at some point, or go live with yet another man. Such marriages are forbidden between members of the same community or lineage. One form of secondary marriage practiced by the Kagoro is wife-abduction between communities. The Kagoro distinguish between three types of marriageable relationships between groups: those that can intermarry ([n]niendi[/n]), those that cannot intermarry ([n]bin[/n]), and those that cannot intermarry but between which wife abduction is permitted ([n]nendwang[/n]).
Subjects
Sociocultural trends
Marriage
Localized kin groups
Inter-community relations
External relations
Legal norms
Theological systems
culture
Katab
HRAF PubDate
2015
Region
Africa
Sub Region
Western Africa
Document Type
article
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnologist
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Ian Skoggard; 2012
Field Date
1950
Coverage Date
1926-1950
Coverage Place
north-central Nigeria
Notes
M. G. Smith
Includes bibliographical references
LCCN
29010790
LCSH
Katab (African people)