There is often a link between a sister and her brother; they are said to be 'cattle-linked.' The sister is, therefore, regarded as the enabler of her brother's marriage due to her
bride wealth. If the wife is barren, this could result in the dissolution of her marriage by divorce and the return of the
bride wealth.
In this form of marriage, the man (groom) also arranges for the girl's abduction and provides the normal bride wealth. "Poor marriage" was explained thus:
It is devoid of the normal requirements of labour service and bride wealth. It is a simple form of marriage generally contracted between a girl's maternal grandfather and a mature groom usually without the involvement of a maternal uncle (ukyan) and without the girl's consent.
That is the dowry (bride wealth) as replacement for 12 goats.
Although emphasis was placed on the relatively low bride wealth that distinguishes Christian from traditional marriage by all the Christian respondents, the main difference however, lies in the fact that the former is blessed in Church and not in the value of material exchange.
As noted in the dowry (bride wealth) surah, a woman's property is her own and does not require her to share the dowry (bride wealth) unless she consents.
All of the examined surahs state that if the wife is nushuz (disobedient, rebellious, disloyal, resistant, and/or deviant) to her husband's request for marital relations, he has the right to admonish her because he paid a dowry (bride wealth) to her to have those marital relations (Mernissi 1991, 156).
At kastom wedding speeches lengthy explanations are given as to why paying
bride wealth is different to buying a box of matches at a store.
But as the amount of
bride wealth increases, more women will be willing to enter' marriages, even polygynous marriages.
The resumption of the feud was allegedly triggered by a conflict over the non-payment of
bride wealth. "They cannot have it both ways.
A young teenage girl was beaten to death last week in Bor county of Jonglei state by her parents because she chose to have a relationship with a man who had no many cattle to give her parents as
bride wealth. Another girl survived a ruthless beating with injuries.
