FUNANI TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE

By Africa achievers with culture/jonacmpoe

 

Fulani traditional marriage,  Fulani are peculiar people filled with distinctive features similar to the Ethiopia, northern Sudan and the Egyptian but who still remains the indigenous people of the northern Nigeria in West Africa. This people are no other than the Fulani. Sometimes it becomes really difficult to pinpoint the exact location where the people come from as they are found in Chad, Niger, and Nigeria.
These people are not only found there in few numbers but with high populations in all the three countries they are and they share so much in common with Hausa's and speak French, English and another language called Fulfulde or Fula.
The Fulani are cattle rearing people and follow Islamic laws.  Cattle are an important factor in their life and they use cattle extensively in their traditional ceremony in which marriage is among.
Important facts about the Fulani people is their bravery. This people can go all the way to do anything imaginable to rescue their cattle in danger. They fight to preserve their cattle which happens to be the major cause of their conflicts. As nomadic and pastoral herdsmen, they move around with their cattle and are known to be brave, hard-working and courageous.
As a people, even though scattered in many countries, they however have culture that unite and bound them together wherever they are and which really serves to identify them as Fulani people from Nigeria.
SEE ALSO: List Of Traditional Marriage Requirements In Tiv Benue State
One of the major differences between the Fulani and the Hausa people, is their views on marriage in the issues of $ex-constraint, celibacy, and virginity. The Fulani has a caste system of marriage involving the nobility, blacksmith, merchants and slaves of wealthy Fulani.
Marriage is usually restricted to the caste system.  Hausa place high morals among their girl children whereas the Fulani's don't as they allow their children free reigns of intercourse with their young men until they are betrothed to a man and then is restricted from having $ex with other men and encouraged to be faithful to their husbands.

The Fulani Traditional Marriage System Are In Three Stages Known As:

1. The Sharo.

This is where the bravery of men are proved during their traditional marriage. The groom has to stand before other selected men who would give him the flogging of his life in the public which serves to test his courage, strength, bravery and discipline. He is not expected to cry as that could cost him his bride to be.

A Fulani groom undergoing traditional flogging

While under-going this brutal treatments, the only sources of consolation would be the cheering from his people to endure it all. This not a must in all the Fulani ethnic groups however.

2. Koowgal Stage.

This is the most important part or stage in Fulani's traditional marriage ceremony because it involves the dowry and the bride price. The process is in this way:
(a.) Herd of cattle are transferred from the bride's father to the groom's family as the dowry
(b.) Gifts are then transferred from the groom to the bride as the bride's price while the real price here is for the groom to assist his father in-law in taking care of his cattle rearing. Once this is reached and concluded, the union is legalized.

3. The Kabbal.

This is a form of Islamic wedding which usually take place in the absence of the husband to be. After the traditions, the woman is then accompanied to her husband's home where she would be received by the women in the compound.
SEE ALSO: Traditional Marriage Requirements In Hausa

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The Fulani people are found in West Africa with high population in Nigeria, Chad, Niger. They speak Hausa, French, English and Fulfulde or Fula language. The Fulani people are Muslims and they follow Islamic laws like the Hausa’s. Cattle are an important factor to them and they are used for every ceremony rites, including marriage rites. There are names,traditions and taboos concerning cattle and the number of cattle owned is a sign of wealth. They fight to preserve their cattle and the major conflict that arises are linked with their cattle. The men are nomadic and pastoral herdsmen as they move amount with their cattle. They are known to be brave, courageous and hard-working. Fulani people are cahracterised by lighter skins and straighter hair.
Marriage in this culture is endogamy and not exogamy. Two people from the same lineage are allowed to marry each other. Marriage is usually between cross-cousins and parallel-cousins. The children are betrothed even before they were born. Caste system and political stratification come into place in their traditional marriage. The reason why marriage is endogamy is to preserve wealth and royal bloodline. They practice early marriage and it is mostly arranged by the families. The men marry in their early twenties while the female marry as teenagers. The men are allowed to marry more than one woman so far he has the ability to cater for their needs equally.