Igbo weddings post colonialism
The British colonists arrived in Nigeria during the 1800's sent by the British government (History of Nigeria). Throughout the stay of the British they greatly influenced many aspects of the Ibo culture and marriages were greatly affected. .In today's Nigeria, there are three kinds of wedding that the Ibo may choose to participate in.
Religious Weddings are conducted by the Christians or Muslims and wedding is played out according to the norms of corresponding religion. It may be performed in a church for Christians, or in a mosque for Muslims.
Civil Weddings take place in government registry office and grooms who choose to have a civil wedding are allowed one wife regardless his religion.
Traditional Weddings shadow customs and norms of wedding traditions of before the British colonists came. These kind of weddings are held at the wife's house and are full of lively music, dancing, and cultural displays.
Religious Weddings are conducted by the Christians or Muslims and wedding is played out according to the norms of corresponding religion. It may be performed in a church for Christians, or in a mosque for Muslims.
Civil Weddings take place in government registry office and grooms who choose to have a civil wedding are allowed one wife regardless his religion.
Traditional Weddings shadow customs and norms of wedding traditions of before the British colonists came. These kind of weddings are held at the wife's house and are full of lively music, dancing, and cultural displays.
In weddings, traditional ways are usually followed due to power of traditional values and strong influences of the family. The groom offers a bride pride of money, cattle, wine, or other valuable goods. Some grooms may even offer to establish a small business or an agricultural venture as a bride price. The groom may also have more than one wife. Some may choose to only have one wife but other only have one wife like Christians. Though some may see polygamy as a divisive force, others might see it as a unifying fore for it is a support system for the family and it also allows the wives to work as a team. (Countries and Their)
Positive and negative chages
The British have changed how the Ibo are today and one positive change that colonialism brought to Ibo weddings is women have the choice of who they marry instead of having an arranged weddings (Widjaja). Giving women the power to choose their husband will give the women more satisfaction or content in their marriage. The second positive change that the colonists influenced is having the couple choose how they will get married and how their wedding can be depending on their religion. With the conversion of the Ibo into Christianity, it opened a whole new world as to how a couple chooses to be wedded. It benefited those who did not want to go down the path of traditional weddings.
One negative influence the colonists had on weddings was the power of women in the Ibo society. It was believed that a woman strengthened her position in the society by marriage and reproduction. As the christian colonists began to penetrate the Ibo culture, they specifically targeted the Ibo's family relations (Gender & Power). Christians believed in only having one wife and this belief greatly divided many Ibo families. This left many women with children fending for themselves and more importantly, it greatly diminished the power that the Ibo women once had. Another negative change that the British colonialism brought was the complete opposite turn of the role of the women and their husbands. Women were expected to work on the crops that the men used to tend to. The men were expected to participate in the Ibo society's politics (Gender & Power).
One negative influence the colonists had on weddings was the power of women in the Ibo society. It was believed that a woman strengthened her position in the society by marriage and reproduction. As the christian colonists began to penetrate the Ibo culture, they specifically targeted the Ibo's family relations (Gender & Power). Christians believed in only having one wife and this belief greatly divided many Ibo families. This left many women with children fending for themselves and more importantly, it greatly diminished the power that the Ibo women once had. Another negative change that the British colonialism brought was the complete opposite turn of the role of the women and their husbands. Women were expected to work on the crops that the men used to tend to. The men were expected to participate in the Ibo society's politics (Gender & Power).