Traditional Marriage and Cultural Values in the Ewe Land - Essay Example

Introduction The Ewe speaking people of West Africa occupy the area between River Mono in Benin, and the Volta Riverin modern Ghana. The Ewe community stretches across four Western countries, namely the Republic of Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria (Spieth 1). The Ewe people speak Ewe language, and it relates to other communities such as Fon and Aja of Togo who speak Gbe language. They have settled in regions such as Sudan, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Togo (Dotse 3). The Ewe people found in Togo and Ghana speak four dialects: Anglo, Awuna, Kotafoa, and Hudu, which belong to the Kwa group of Sudan (Spieth 39). Ewe community holds great importance to its traditions. The community maintains some of its traditional practices in relation to marriage and music. The discussion below reveals the social values of music and traditional marriage, and also the importance of both to the society. Research and secondary data provide an insight into the community’s musical culture, traditional marriage and the cultural values displayed by both aspects Ewe Music Music forms a great part of Ewe community’s deep culture; it is the hallmark of the Ewe people. All Anlo Ewe communities settling in the Volta region embrace music and hold great value for it. Music has a great importance to the community as it integrates members of the community together. Every activity carried out in the community requires music. Music blends in through humming singing or tapping one’s fingers and feet. It infiltrates through community activities such as farming, fishing and weaving (Agawu, Representing African Music 12). As one moves across the villages, it is likely to hear a mother singing to her child (Agawu, African Rhythm 62), a relative singing a dirge or a man singing while digging. In most cases, a group takes part in the singing or dancing rather than one person. One person creates the melody while the rest of the members create the rhythm by banging tables and clapping their hands (Agawu, African Rhythm 62). This produces a polyrhythmic orchestra while they work. Most community ceremonies and rituals involve music. Music indulges in various ceremonies such as celebration, religious functions and festive ceremonies (Agawu, African Rhythm 61). Marriage celebrations involve singing and dancing to celebrate the union between a man and a woman (Nukunya 90). This gives both sides of the family a chance to have a good time together by creating a lively mood for interaction. Music also applies during the courtship stage as it allows young men and women ready to marry to know one another (Nukunya 82). Men used songs to seduce women. During funerals, the community sings songs to mourn and celebrate the life of the deceased (May 219). A burial ceremony lasts for several days accompanied with songs and dancing. Prior the burial, relatives sing songs of sorrow to the deceased. On the second day after the burial, people sing jovial songs in a bid to bring the members of the community together (Agawu, African Rhythm 61). Traditionally, the society sang several ritual songs before certain activities such hunting and war. The community believed that singing gave men the courage needed to face the challenges ahead. However, today, war songs apply in celebrating peace and unity. Music and dancing are essential aspects of the community, which is imperative for everyone to partake. Consequences of non-participation are so severe including excommunication from the society and denial of a proper burial. In the Ewe community, music participation follows a set hierarchical design. The structure places the elders at the top. Elders provide a source of authority and provide information about systematic performance based on traditions of the community. The second level constitutes the composer whose purpose is to create a musical and dancing style. The master drummer accompanies the composer and creates a rhythm in the music (Malone 14). The third level possesses leadership skills. They direct the performers on what to do. Support leaders help the Composer in leading the singing. The rest of the hierarchy includes lowest level members. The main roles are singing, dancing and at times clapping or tapping. The Ewe people found in Nigeria mainly use the drum and flute (Agawu, African Rhythm 62); while, in the Southern regions lyrical songs are more prevalent. Ewe music constitutes of both the culture and customs of the community. Traditions and culture build Ewe music (Gbolonyo 1). Members of the community learn how to play music from infancy. Mothers perch the children on a high place in the middle of a musical performance as a way to introduce them to it. Infants learn how to dance even before they know how to walk. Elders teach the children how to sing by making them memorize the song every year. However, as the years progress the children learn how to improvise and gain more knowledge, which they add up to what they learnt as children. The cultural value and purpose for this is to initiate a connection between the children and elders and also to develop compound rhythms in the form of playoffs. The greatest significance of music to the Ewe people is consolidation. Music brings people of the community together to work and celebrate together hence creating a sense of unity and solidarity (Agawu, African Rhythm 62). Participation of each member creates a sense of belonging. Music creates a bond between children and their elders including their parents. Promoting cultural values and traditions are another importance of music to the community. Through music, the Ewe people embrace and respect their culture (Gbolonyo 1). The presence of elders during performances illustrates the respect for culture through ensuring that performers maintain traditions and customs. Parents and elders teach children how to sing and dance at a very young age (Agawu, African Rhythm 62). This ensures the passing on of the culture and traditions of the Ewe people to future generations hence promoting retention of societal culture. It is the foundation of amusement for the people as they toil. It provides motivation and reduces boredom and fatigue (Agawu, African Rhythm 61). Traditional Marriage Marriage in Ewe community refers to a union between a guy and a lady whom the elders approve. Approval involves passing through the customary procedures of marriage according to the community. Despite the impacts of civilization and introduction of Christianity, marriage in the Ewe community still adheres to some of the traditional customs. The only changes include the conclusion of the marriage ceremonies and use of money to pay for bridal charges (Nukunya 63). However, the rules governing choice of partners still remain intact. Ewe tradition marriage follows set rules and rituals that define the cultural values of Ewe marriage. Partner selection is the first step to marriage between a man and a woman. Like most communities, Ewe community forbids marriage among certain members of the family. Traditional marriage customs prohibit union between brothers and sisters, and in-laws. Elders of the community teach the young boys and girls not to seek any sexual advances from members of the family. The community considers it incestuous for any siblings to marry one another. It also forbids marriage between in-laws since the society considers it as an exchange of spouses between two lineages. This ruins kinsmen associations by transforming kinship relations to affinal ones (Nukunya 63). In spite of the stated prohibitions, Ewe marriage allows people with a slight genealogical relationship to get married. Parents find it appropriate to choose spouses for their children even before they are born (Nukunya 72). Seventy one percent of most first marriages involve couples that have at least one genealogical connection (Nukunya 71). This value applies on marriage stability. The society believes that relatives have a better chance of relating properly. This marriage involves first cross-cousins (Nukunya 72). This prevents any breaching of the rules forbidding the kinship marriage. The community also allows marriage between members of the same clan. As described, parents had an obligation to choose a spouse for their child. However, not all children appreciated the spouse chosen for them by their parents. They preferred to select a person of their own choice (Nukunya 77). The girl’s parents carefully choose a future partner for their daughter. The most considered attributes of the man include his character and the success of his parents’ marriage. The parent believes that the stability of a man’s parents directly impacts one’s behaviour as a husband. The man should be courteous, aware of the responsibilities of a husband and show no quarrelling nature (Nukunya 78). Traditionally, when an Anlo girl reached puberty, the girl stood before the community wearing rich beads to indicate that she is ready for marriage. For betrothed girls, preparations to conclude the marriage took place immediately after this ceremony. The ceremony gave men a chance to choose the ‘single’ ones. After choosing a suitable girl a man requests, his closest friend to accompany him to the girl’s home in order to seek permission from the parents to marry their daughter. The man visited the girl’s home severally before the girl gave a final answer (Nukunya 79). Visits gave the girl’s parents a chance to know the man and define his character, which was essential. The society requires that the girl should not give in to the man’s request for a set period. The persistence displayed by the man describes his character and willingness. Courtship needed both words and actions to prove the willingness to marry (Nukunya 80). On the other hand, girls had to display good behaviour in and outside the homestead in order to woo the partner. Disapproval by the girl’s family led to embarrassing chants from the mother and sisters hence discouraging further courtship (Nukunya 81). Girls and boys at puberty would get acquainted during dances, fishing expeditions and dance practices (Nukunya 82). In the traditional marriage ceremony process, the knocking ceremony puts a stamp of seriousness and permanence on the marriage. The bridegroom’s aunts head to the girl’s home to ask formally for the bride’s hand. The bride’s parents enquire for the reasons concerning the proposal (Nukunya 85). The girl’s parents send the aunts away as they contemplate on the matter. The main reason for postponing the answer is that customarily Anlo do not give an immediate answer to an important question. It also provides the girl’s parents time to learn about the man. Satisfaction and acceptance by the bride’s family opens the door to the next step; raising bridal payments (Agorsah 46). Normally, the groom raises the amount, and once it is ready both paternal and maternal aunts take it to the bride (Agorsah 45). If the girl’s family accepts the amount offered, a series of ceremonies follow to conclude the marriage. The formal ceremonies involve handing over the bride to the groom’s family, powdering of the bride, consummation and seclusion. The handing over ceremony occurs in the girl’s father’s house. Both man and wife declare their vows and their obligations to one another. The ceremony concludes with a prayer to the ancestors for marriage blessings. In the next step, the couple sets a date for the wedding. The man’s father sends his wife and her sisters to bring the wife (Nukunya 87). Once in the groom’s home, the bride meets the man’s father the father declares to take care of her. Several speeches from family members follow before the consummation ceremony (Nukunya 88). The speeches provide the necessary information about how to go about in marriage as a man and wife. The consummation process involves coitus between the new couple to determine the girl’s virginity (Nukunya 89). The society highly regards a virgin for it considers her pure and stands as a status of great pride. Both sides of the family celebrate the girl’s virginity. The wedding ends with the seclusion ceremony where the girl remains in the groom’s room for a period of four to eight months (Nukunya 90). The seclusion ceremony emphasizes on monopoly, and mostly gives the new couple a chance to have a child. From the argument, it is clear that traditional Ewe marriage ceremonies hold great significance. It requires adherence to set rules, and it should involve family elders. However, Anlo Ewe traditional marriage fades as time passes. These changes are as a result of a new era education and the influence of Christianity (Nukunya 91). Conclusion The discussion above provides a clear story about Ewe music, traditional marriage and the social values displayed by both aspects. The musical culture of the community builds social integration and maintains the traditional values of the society. Music provides a way to educate future generations on cultural values and community traditions. On the other hand, some people still practice traditional marriage hence ensuring sustenance and conservation of family traditions. Traditional marriage provides young couples with the necessary skills needed in marriage. The traditional wedding involves all members of the family and defines a strict procedure followed by participants. Ewe people maintain some of their traditional practices in order to preserve their identity. Works Cited Agawu, Kofi, Representing African Music, Postcolonial Notes, Queries, Positions. Boston University African Studies Centre. 2003. Agawu, Kofi. African Rhythm: A Northern Ewe Perspective. Cambridge University Press 1959 Agorsah K.E. Marry Me in Africa: African Foundation. 2012 Dotse, Kobla A., THE ORIGINS AND BRIEF HISTORY OF THE EWE PEOPLE: XXXX Publications, 2011. Print. Gbolonyo, J. S.Kofi Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Values In Ewe Musical Practice: Their Traditional Roles and Place in Mordern Society: Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh. 2009 Malone, Jacqui. Steppin on the blues: the visible rhythms of African American dance. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1996. Print. May, Elizabeth. Musics of many cultures: an introduction. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1980. Print. Nukunya, G. K. Kinship and Marriage among the Anlo Ewe. London: University of London, Athlone Press, 1969. Print. Spieth, Jakob, and Komla Amoaku. The Ewe People A Study of the Ewe People in German Togo. Accra, Ghana: Sub-Saharan Publishers, 2011. Print. Read More