Bride Price In Kenya – African marriages are ceremonious events, laden with deep traditional symbolism. The entire build-up to the wedding is a cultural process, every step carefully orchestrated to abide by the conventional norms of the communities involved. One of the most outspoken practices of marriages in Kenya is the bride price. It is a hallowed societal custom, among ancient laws of many communities in Kenya.
The bartering for the bride price starts once a bachelor shows interest, and at the end of it all, they might have lost a herd or a massive amount of money. So, how much is bride price in Kenya? Dowry is a renowned tradition, shared among different tribes, whereby the bachelor’s family “settles” the wife’s family by paying a hefty amount. At least that’s the norm for many.
Bride Price In Kenya – Kenyan wedding traditions are just unique. Weddings are colorful, and the food is amazing, but who foots this bill? Bride price, an unwritten law, is a respected practice that is very important in a wedding process. Now, with numerous intertribal marriages and a clash of traditions, many are wondering about the average bride price in Kenya.
Over the last two decades, there have been significant changes in marriage patterns, and people are now having a different perspective on bride price. However, the practice persists, as most traditions are shared from generation to generation. If you are looking to get married, better enlighten yourself on the bride price in Kenya in US dollars.
How much is bride price in Kenya? – get the facts
Bride Price In Kenya? Certain tribes have exorbitant bride prices, while others have relaxed terms. However, the conditions are clear: you have to pay something to be granted their daughter’s hand in marriage. Bride price is a tradition practiced for centuries in Kenya, and it seems that it is still a norm during weddings.
How much will you pay to part with the love of your life? A Kenyan bride is never married until traditional customs are fulfilled, and if the bride price is part of it, you have to pay.
How much is the dowry among the Kikuyu? Kikuyu’s are the most controversial when it comes to the bride price. With recent economic upheavals, you better familiarize with their traditions if you are eying a bride from the community. The importance of bride price here cannot be underestimated. It is a revered tradition, marked by numerous proceedings that don’t seem to have an ending.
After the groom’s family is content with the lady’s family information, they convene a select committee that will negotiate the dowry payments. This special committee will possess an eloquent spokesperson that will be responsible for most of the negotiations.
Ordinarily, the dowry payments will consist of items for men (athuri), and items for women (atumia). These quantities, which vary with each clan, will determine the amount of money the groom will have to utilize. These will be things like a fattened ram, he-goat, heifer and beer made from honey for the elders.
Remember that the dowry price can be in different forms and paid in installments as agreed by both parties. Many families today accept money instead of all the items listed above.
When you accumulate the cost of all these items, the average bride price for the Kikuyu comes to about Ksh.500,000. It is said that in the Kikuyu culture, dowry payment is never complete. It gives someone a reason to visit their in-laws frequently.
Luo dowry payment
How much is bride price in Kenya for the Luo community? Dowry in Africa is a popular tradition that still being practiced openly today. If you intend to marry a lady from the Luo community, the man ought to ask the parents of the girl for the bride price. This is arrived upon after lengthy negotiations that culminate during the “Ayie,” the ceremony for paying the actual amount.
Similar to other communities, Luo marriage customs require a certain number of cattle for settlement of bride price. However, the culture has eroded and now, the groom’s family pay a certain agreeable amount according to their capabilities.
The bride price depends on how educated the girl is, and you might have to pay between Ksh.10,000 and Ksh.100,000. The more substantial amount is for university ladies. Interestingly, the Luo attach more value to cows. Don’t forget to stash as much Ksh.50 shilling and Ksh.1,000 in envelopes on the D-Day.
Luhya bride price
Bride Price In Kenya – So, how do you calculate bride price? Of course, over time, the bride price that was valued in property is now more about money. Ordinarily, in the past, if you wanted to marry a Luhya girl, you had to pay around thirteen to twenty heads of cattle. Although many prefer money these days, the tradition is still practiced among certain clans in the Luhya community.
Therefore, if you convert the old dowry payment to cash, it would come to a significant sum. So, it is upon the two families to agree on an amount based on capability. After all, it is not a selling process, but a marriage between two individuals that love one another.
The average dowry for the Kalenjin
The Kalenjin community, just like other tribes in Kenya, value the marriage ceremony. And they have their way of conducting the colorful ceremony and of course, the groom has a price to pay for the bride.
In this community, one can be asked to pay 12 cows, 4 sheep and a certain amount of money like Ksh.100, 000. However, everything is negotiable, mostly the amount of money suggested. Sometimes, one can bargain the amount to half.
What will you pay for a Maasai girl?
The average bride price in Kenya for the Maasai is controversial as well, and they are termed to be among the highest. Considering the Maasai’s great value for cattle, these have to be part of the dowry payment, inclusive a hefty amount paid to the bride’s family.
What is the purpose of bride price?
Dowry in Africa is paid to ratify a marriage. Usually, the payment is made by a groom to the bride’s kin according to prior negotiations. Essentially, marriage is not considered complete until full settlement of the bride price.
However, today’s marriage traditions and inflation of dowry have allowed grooms to submit such payments in installments and complete their marriage.
If you are planning on settling down with the woman you love, you are probably racking your brain, asking yourself, “how much is bride price in Kenya?” Of course, other communities have their traditions regarding bride price in Kenya, but the ones above are by far the most outspoken.
