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Sender: Pan-Africa Discussion List <AFRICA-L@VTVM1.CC.VT.EDU> Subject: Query on reasons for polygamy To: Multiple recipients of list AFRICA-L <AFRICA-L@VTVM1.CC.VT.EDU> Query on reasons for polygamyA dialog on the Africa-L list, February 1995
Message-Id: <199502140645.BAA100888@ipe.cc.vt.edu> Jambo. Here at Lexington Community College in Lexington, KY we are in the midst of a scholarly debate presented by Vincent Khapoya in his text THE AFRICAN EXPERIENCE which is one of the assigned books for our 200-level intro survey history course on Sub-Saharan Africa. I wish to introduce you to one of my students, John Lindsay, who asks you to enter into this conversation. You can reply directly to him or to me and I will forward your reply on to the class e-mail discussion list. Thank you for your time.
Randolph Hollingsworth
**************************** Message Attached ************************* Recently, Dr. Udvardy, a professor from the University of Kentucky spoke to our class. She did fieldwork studying the Giriama of Kenya. During her lecture she disputed the following claims made by Khapoya concerning the validity of polygyny among certain African groups.
Can you clarify these issues? Thank you,
Message-Id: <199502140824.DAA54699@ipe.cc.vt.edu> Quite often emphasis is unduely placed on sexuality when discussing polygamy. Polygamy fulfills specific functions that are remote to defining the the sexual prowess of a male. Oversimplified, polygamy enhances productivity. The larger a family the larger the portion of land they are able to cultivate. It makes hunting more efficiently conducted, cattle rearing is better organized, food production is enhanced. There are other subtle functions such as, the symbolism of having many children, the display of status, and in certain contexts just compling with tradition. We should also bear in mind that no human practice is free from abuse. That certain individuals choose for reasons best known to them to abuse certain practices does not make their practices legitimate. Finally, there is no denying the fact that some may engage in polygamy for exploiting the sexual advantages that it may have to provide. These are not the main functions. Polygamy is decreasing in Africa not so much becaus e of western intervention as it is the changing economy and the overall prevailing cultural climate. These have rendered/ is rendering polygamy useless. Thanks! Date: Fri, 17 Feb 1995 07:54:18 -0400 From: "Emmanuel K. Twesigye or send instructions on how to" <EKTWESIG@CC.OWU.EDU> Traditionally, most African societies have practiced a custom of polygyny or polygamy. This custom allows a man to have as many wives as he can support. These wives were married according to local custom and they were all legal in the understanding of the local world-view. Such a practice was not considered evil or immoral/sinful until the Christian missionaries arrived in Africa. There are many reasons why Africans practiced and valued polygamy: 1. A man's wealth was measured by the number of his wives as well as the number of his children and cattle or livestock. 2. It was prestigeous to have many wives. For instance, the Kabaka Mutesa I of Buganda resisted Christian baptism because he was asked to divorce his many wives and "wed" with one! The queen mother, said that it was unheard of for a king to have one wife like just the poorest commoner! 3. In political terms the more wives oone had, the more political alliances one could form, and therefore, become a very powerful power brocker and effective politician or tribal leader, chief or king. 4. In agricultural societies, human labour was essential and therefore, poly- gamy provided more hands to work in the fields and produce more food, or more cashcrops for sale. Thus, polygamy produced wealth, at least for the man as well as the whole group which the patriarch supported. 5. Women and children were safer in larger households where they were better protected from aggressors. Pride was associated with a larger family and shame and low self-esteem were associated with small families which were symbolic of poverty. 6. Men also preferred polygamy because it gave them sexual gratification and diversity in mates! In some societies, it is taboo for the couple to engage in sexual intercourse during the menstrual period and preganancy. In that case, polygamy provided a solution to this dilemma. 7. Polygamy also provided a form of birth control, in the sense that it would allow the spacing of children by virtue of the sexual taboos attached to sex during breastfeeding. 8. Polygamy insured that most marriageable girls were married off. Women tended to outnumber men because, men naturally die in larger numbers and earlier than women. Women are genetically tougher than men! Morever, men also tended to engage in dangerous or fatal activities such as wars, hunting and fighting one another in drunken querrels! 9. In most of traditional Africa, there was a custom of leverate or widow inheritance. A brother's wives passed on to the father or another brother on his death! That was designed to ensure that no widows or orphans would be left with provision and family or tender care. 10. In modern times when some workers live in the city, they may prefer to have two wives and two families; one in the city and the other in the rural area on the ancestral land.
Emmanuel K. Twesigye Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9502221448.A2560-0100000@bgnet2.bgsu.edu> Date: Wed, 22 Feb 1995 14:45:15 -0500 From: wole ife <wife@falcon.bgsu.edu> On Wed, 22 Feb 1995, Randolph Hollingsworth wrote: Dear Randolph Hollingsworth, Thank you for you post. I have, however, a few interjections to make in regards to this subject. But, as a first thought, I think it would perhaps proven equally interesting to study to PRACTICE, and not the INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE, which may or may not be common/relevant to the discussion about the practice -- cultural speaking. While Ms Ba's novel, a fictional account, may or may not be based on Africana traditonal religio-philosophy at all, BUT ISLAMic influenced hyber-cultures, this should be acknowledged. As the negative experiences themselves, I feel for the people involved, however, "polygamy" as a cultural concept is more than approved sex with multiple partners (for Men only of course), entails some responsibilities on the part of the male that Afroamericans could really benefit from in this era of teenage pregancies. For instance, the brother of a teenage, single parent mother would traditionally assume the responsibly for helping to raise the children AS HIS OWN if the biological father doesn't bother. Thus, brothers would instantly begin taking interest in WHO they sisters are dating... Additional, the unwed fathers of kids by different women could have a cultural responsibility, CLEARLY articulated that he has "several" family units, WITH different women that he MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE A SEXUAL RELATION with...thus, you would have part African and part American (or European/Western) cultural dynamic that goes beyond to the Eurocentric, to a tradition that NO BLACK NATIONALIST (Nat-type Brother) could deny. This is part of polygamy too. So, can we intellectually debate (with sources) this issues. . . . For those know think that because polygamy is occurring only on the continent legally, this is still the common denominator w/ Afroam. culture in that both has have the same outside influences influencing there marital traditions. I'm out. Faith, Hope and Charity,
ADEWOLE "Wole" MONGO IFE
Message-ID: <AFRICA-L%95022213485055@VTVM1.CC.VT.EDU> I wish to thank you all for helping with my student's query regarding the differing interpretations for the cultural reasons for polygyny. In return I wish to share with you another student's contribution to the conversation. Muna fumba zhakanaka.
Randolph Hollingsworth
----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Khapoya did not bother to mention polygyny trough the eyes of the wife and children. And this to me is a very crucial part of polygamy. Sancha Johnson
Message-ID: <AFRICA-L%95022300424776@VTVM1.CC.VT.EDU> The novel, "So Long A Letter" by Marima Ba obviously narrates a sad experience. I can imagine how and why Sancha Johnson would want to recommend this novel to anyone interested in polygamy. I can almost feel the pain of the woman just from Sancha's summary of the novel...But I do have a few things to point out to Sancha though......! Sancha, you have just summarized the kinds of sad and unfortunate experiences that women are sometimes subjected to here in the western world where monogamy is the norm.It happens everywhere.You and I know that the idealised and lofty expectations of couples who enter into monogamous relation- ships are seldom met...We have not abandoned monogamy just for that reason. The sad experiences of that unfortunate woman by no means defines polygamy. Unfortunately, unfaithful and conscienceless men are found all over the world regardless of the kind of relationship....isnt that sad. However, polygamy presents a unique problem in a changing socio-economic climate. It is most effective when it is applied and conducted within its particular context as opposed to arbitrary application. It is context specific. Poligamy played its role when it was most useful. A lot of things are changing these days and poligamy too like those other things, is subject to change. So in short Sancha, that the woman in the novel was subjected to such cruel treatment was not so much because she found herself in a polygamous rela-tionsh ip as much as it was the unfaithfulness of the man. Polygamy like monogamy has its own share of bliss and happiness too. I wish men and women would be more committed to their relationships, but that is not the real world....how sad! Thanks!
Message-ID: <9502231652.AA19963@gaul.csd.uwo.ca> It is the economics that is the greatest enemy of polygamy. Few men can afford to marry several wives, meet their economic expectations as well as those of their progeny. I have a friend who laughs when people talk so highly of monogamy in the west. He cites the high divorce rate where people marry for the umpteenth time calling this serial polygamy! Matunda Nyanchama
Message-ID: <01HNE2PNI6XE00336R@bentley.edu> Polygamy was and is the explotation of women. This system is to the benefit of male sexual needs than those of women. It disregards what is important to women. If a woman is unhappy in this relationship, some people look at her as being demanding and disrespectful to her husband. I have no problem if people voluntary enter a polygamy relationship. But in most cases women are forced by their parents to participate in this male system. We are better of in monogamous relationship despite that the divorce rates are high. The divorce rate to me shows that people have a choice, both male and female. The truth is those people who divorce remarry again after they have found a match that suite their needs. Polygamy is good for males and clearly disregard how women feel in those relationships. Vusi. Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9502231409.A4820-0100000@panther> Date: Thu, 23 Feb 1995 14:15:31 -0500 From: biola <gs01soo@PANTHER.GSU.EDU> I come from a polygamus family, and I can definitely tell you that my experiences have not been good. My father had six wives. It was always war between us the children, including the young ones who did not understand what was going on. There was always the suspicion that one wife was going to hurt the children of another wife. Even those of us who wanted to be friends could not. After my father died, the hell started and it is still going on. While I understand that polygamy was useful to our ancestors in the old days. The sort of society we have created today does not really allow it. There is mass poverty and more people have been educated under western standards and values. Apart from this fact, I believe that the traditional African society was more community oriented and less selfish. Today many of us are concerned with having enough to eat, and we have adopted the concept of "to each his own" to a point. Polygamy can cause a lot of unecessary pain to families. No matter how well parents manage the family, rivalries and jealousies will always draw people apart. Yes, western societies are hypocritical because many marriages do fall apart because of infidelities, however, they do spare their families of the pain of living and dealing with the headaches of a second, third of fourth wife. Biola, gs01soo@panther.gsu.edu
Message-ID: <sf4d74b0.011@newschool.edu> Greetings! From the onset let me admit my ignorance on this subject. But as an economist I will try and see whether I can apply some of the useful principles to this matter. First, perhaps it will be instructive to begin with the economic basis of polygamy in African societies. If this premise is valid, then it must follow that the institution of polygamy, like all economically depended phenomenons is mutable. That is, subject to negation by qualitative transformations within those societies by changing modes of production (i.e. movement from agriculture based modes--conducive to polygamy, to manufacturing--an anti-thesis of polygamy. Ester Boserup's "Woman's Role in Economic Development" (1970, pp.37-51), will be helpfull to those who want to get a sytematic anlysis in of polygamy in agrarian Africa. From the standpoint, though of modern Africa (that is, industrializing Africa) polygamy is nothing else but a moribud relic from the past, whose remaining ethos can only be attributed to rigid socio-cultural factors. This is easily discernable, for instance when we consider the fact that there is in Africa excess mortality of women over men. Men have migrated to the urban cities to seek wage-jobs while most women do remain trapped in rural settings. The weakening of rural ties, also shift the balance of power from women to the men (patriachy) and this is where the basis of modern polygamy rests--namely, POWER. The (polygamist African male), excercise this strong-hold on the African woman because she is the only object he can do so towards. He (the polygamist) is impotent or powerless against economic power above him (often white male economic power, domestic or international). This applies even to the African elite "dusted with Western values". Especially, those educated abroad, who when they return to Africa (they only have one wife (white woman usually), because again of the dynamics of economics. Those who return, single handed, often commands some economic power, usually accorded by favorable exchange rates (than substantial wealth), but while they envy the rural "polygamists" who now simply get by with very little, the new elite has no choice but to become udulters, and this only to the extent that the power of the dollar holds or a new job with the Ministry is available. What is to be done? The elite African male (including myself) has a responsibility to critique the institution of polygamy, not just as a contrast to "Western monogamy" [with all its problems of prostitutism), but within the context of changing Africa. Women can (must) play a critical role in this debate (and have). My opinion is that polygamy is dead!
===Thami
New School for Social Research
Message-ID: <9502241706.AA18416@gaul.csd.uwo.ca> People, I come from a polygamous home that has carried this tradition for a number of generations. I can assure you that the average problems we encountered growing up were not very different from those monogamous home had. And it is amazing to see to date when we have matured that we still remain very close as children of the same father and mothers. We visit our aging parents without discriminating between mother and step mother. With my first hand experience I sometimes get amazed at the absurdity of the assumptions being tossed around about African Polygamy. This is not to support its continuation though and it is not to say there are no problems of jelousy, competition, etc in such unions. But there is another aspect. What polygamy did in old Africa was to give a home to most of the women and children. Thus you found that it is men of means that practised this for they had to have the land, wealth etc for the upkeep of the large families. To date I have seen such men take young wives with children, give them land and support the children's upbringing, children who would have been homeless otherwise. This also says that polygamy is not dead but its practice is waning with the worsening economic times. Unlike days of yore, there is little land out there and the costs of raising children and keeping the extra wives is not what it was in yesteryears. Matunda Nyancham
Message-ID: <Pine.3.89.9502242057.A20500-0100000@bgnet2.bgsu.edu> Dear Paul, I am proud and happy to read your continually powerful posts concerning poligamy and other issues. So, keep up the good work. By the way, concerning your latest post, I thought I sent a long post (supporting the traditions of our ancestors, of course, to the best of my understand). Therefore, I have enclosed a copy of the post: Dear Randolph Hollingsworth, Thank you for you post. I have, however, a few interjections to make in regards to this subject. But, as a first thought, I think it would perhaps proven equally interesting to study to PRACTICE, and not the INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE, which may or may not be common/relevant to the discussion about the practice -- cultural speaking. While Ms Ba's novel, a fictional account, may or may not be based on Africana traditonal religio-philosophy at all, BUT ISLAMic influenced hyber-cultures, this should be acknowledged. As the negative experiences themselves, I feel for the people involved, however, "polygamy" as a cultural concept is more than approved sex with multiple partners (for Men only of course), entails some responsibilities on the part of the male that Afroamericans could really benefit from in this era of teenage pregancies. For instance, the brother of a teenage, single parent mother would traditionally assume the responsibly for helping to raise the children AS HIS OWN if the biological father doesn't bother. Thus, brothers would instantly begin taking interest in WHO they sisters are dating... Additional, the unwed fathers of kids by different women could have a cultural responsibility, CLEARLY articulated that he has "several" family units, WITH different women that he MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE A SEXUAL RELATION with...thus, you would have part African and part American (or European/Western) cultural dynamic that goes beyond to the Eurocentric, to a tradition that NO BLACK NATIONALIST (Nat-type Brother) could deny. This is part of polygamy too. So, can we intellectually debate (with sources) this issues.... For those know think that because polygamy is occurring only on the continent legally, this is still the common denominator w/ Afroam. culture in that both has have the same outside influences influencing there marital traditions. I'm out. Take care, Paul. PEACE. Faith, Hope and Charity, ADEWOLE "Wole" MONGO IFE
Message-ID: <sf4f7a11.086@newschool.edu> Maybe it will be useful to reconsider the concept argued here. Instead of polygamy we substitute patriarchy. Since it seems we have polygamists who just wont conside that polygamy is an oppressive and exploitative institution against women. Any informed person who have read both the history of Africa/Asia will come to agree that not only is the record bloodied with crimes committed by colonialist, but the African polygamist is also guilty of being a co-conspirator in the oppression and exploitation of the, in our case, African woman!!
Thami
Message-ID: <AFRICA-L%95022618300683@VTVM1.CC.VT.EDU> When someone mentioned that polyandry does not exist in Africa, I thought I'd pass it along to an esteemed colleague of mine here at the Univ. of Kentucky: Dr. Monica Udvardy. She responds below, and I pass it along to you.
Randolph Hollingsworth
----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Best, Monica |