Dating,+Marriage.+and+life+cycle+(Marie)

Dating, Marriage, and Life Cycle (Marie)

Dating In Senegal people go out with people they and their families know. It is uncommon to go out with people you have just met or people your family doesn't know. Families are very much involved in the dating process, actually traditional families have arranged marriages. Although in more urban ares people marry by choice. Couples are encouraged to marry young, but it is acceptable for couples that are in college to get married after they finish school.

Marriage In Senegal men practice polygamy, Islamic law says that men can have up to four wives. Although the men must have their other wife/wives consent before he can marry another woman. According to the //Qu'ran// men must divide their time equally between all of their wives. It is common for men to have two wives but it is rare to have more than that. Half of households run by men older than 50 practice polygamy. While 15% of men younger than 40 have more than one wife. Men are usually older than their wife and especially their second wife. Men are older because before they can marry they have to have enough money to pay the bride-price. The bride-price is given to the bride's family before the marriage.

Lobola - "a set amount paid by a prospective husband to the bride's family among certain peoples in southern Africa." In Africa marriage is an agreement between families and their clans or tribes. The lobola is what the seniors from the tow families think the groom should pay to marry the bride. Many Americans think this makes the bride seem like a product to be sold but Africans see it as a negotiation that shows the growth of trust and respect and that it brings the families together. Brides are ranked, so the higher the bride is ranked the higher the lobola. A high bride-price is an honor to the bride's family. In rural areas the bride-price includes cattle. For example five cows would be a high bride-price. But in urban areas men pay the bride-price with cash. After the lobola is agreed on the bride and groom may to see each other until the wedding day, the bride may know who she is marrying but cannot speak to him.

Pregnancy Pregnancy is not a wildly discussed topic in Senegal. In rural areas women keep working and keep the same daily routine until the baby is born. In rural areas babies are born in home with a midwife's assistance. Though, in more urban areas babies are born in hospitals. Seven days after the baby is born there is a celebration because that is the day the baby is given a name. The naming is run by the village religious leader and after the naming there is a big feast with slaughtered sheep or goat. A few day after labor women in rural areas do house work, even if they can't go back to work in the fields.

Coming of Age For girls the first menstruation represents the coming of age, and for boys it is a circumcision. Boys go through a circumcision ceremony, which can take about a month, and they live in a secluded forest. In the forest the village elders teach the boys the duties of men. The circumcision is the last part of the ceremony, and after the boys heal they return to their village and have a celebration.

Death After a person dies the burial takes place within 24 hours. The body is prepared by ritual cleansing, which takes place in the family compound, then wrapped in a white sheet, and finally carried by men to the burial ground. For three days family, friends, and relatives mourn together.

Bibliography

Esherick, Joan. //Women in the African World//. Broomall: Mason Crest, 2005. Print.

"Republic of Senegal Dating and Marriage ." //CultureGrams World Edition//. ProQuest , 2010. Web. 9 Mar. 2010. .

"Republic of Senegal Life Cycle ." //CultureGrams World Edition//. ProQuest, 2010. Web. 9 Mar. 2010. .