Journal Entery

Date: July 28, 2007

Entery Number: 18

Page/Quote reflecting on: Pgs. 72-73

I don't like the way they handle marriages. The suitor comes with some of his family over to the girl's father's obi who would have invited some of his family. They would first have kola nuts, alligator pepper, drink palm wine, and talk about other things besides what their purpose was. After drinking the wine that the suitor brought they would talk about the bride price but they did it with sticks as figures. Sometimes the suitor would want more than was offered and sometimes they would accept less. So they would debate over it and eventually they would settle on a price and it would be paid in bags of coweries. After the price was agreed on, they would then have a feast and talk some more. Some of the girls were married at age sixteen. That's crazy! I know that back then in the olden days people did get married at really young ages, well at least the girls anyway. But anyway, you could have a really old guy who wants to marry you and he already has like three other wives and you might have to marry him. I wonder if the girls actually have a say so in who they would like to marry. Also, I don't like how they bargain off their daughters. That's just wrong. But I do find it interesting how they use the sticks as figures for money. It's actually pretty smart. But I don't like how they deal with all the marriage stuff.