The impact of Christianity on the Luo traditional marriage system

Abstract

This thesis is a survey examining and assessing the significance of the customs, beliefs and practices of the Luo traditional marriage system and to what extent christianity as an agent of change has affected themo The objectives of the research are, first, to find out how the Luo religious beliefs, practices, kinship system, socio-political organisation and economy influenced the marriage system. Secondly, the study concentrates on examining the types of Luo traditional marriage arrangement, courtship, bridewealth payment, ceremonies, rituals, divorce occurences and their significance to the marriage beliefs and practices. Thirdly, the reasons for practising polygamy and levirate are assessed. Fourthly, the core of the thesis studies, the Catholic Ohurch marriage beliefs and practices as a representative of the remaining mission founded christian churches to find out how the church has used its symbols of baptism matrimony, eucharist, confirmation and holy-unction sacraments through preaching christianity to cause change on the total Luo traditional marriage beliefs and practices. FinallY,the study examines how various variables other than christianity have acted as change-agents on some aspects of the Luo traditional beliefs and practiceso To get the required data, a questionnaire was prepared to help in interviewing informants in South Nyanza District of Kenya by multistage random sampling. Where it was found appropriate on the spot observation method was employed. But when situation warranted discussion and narrative methods were utilized. In some cases, tape recording was used and later the transcript was replayed and analysed. The above methods were supplemented by information sought from University Library materials,archival materials, journals, articles, documents stating church policy on marriage, record of parish council meetings, bulletins and newspapers. The whole data obtained was then analysed and sythesized into a thesis. The research findings showed that some of the aspects of the Luo traditional beliefs and practices have been changed by christianity. It was discovered too that the Luo still cherish traditional marrjage practices of courtship, bridewealth payment, ceremonies, rituals, polygamy and leviratic marriage. In a way, they are only forced to change their attitudes towards some of the marriage beliefs and practices because of the changes forced upon them by christianity and new social and economic pressures. Further the research findings showed that christianity is not the sole agent of change on different aspects of the marriage system. The forced changes are mainly caused by strenses brought by new social and economic demands like need for good education, health, housing, clothing and feeding standards. Other problems that force change are inflationary forces, unemployment, marginal earnings, urbanization and adapting to new technologies. These factors combine to force change on practices of types of marriage arrangement, courtship, bridewealth payment, ceremonies, rituals, polygamy, leviratic unions and traditional motives of marriages

It was also evidently clear that some Luo marriage beliefs and practices have resisted changeo Most Luo still cherish polygamy, again, majority of them believe that it is a grave punishment equivalent to a curse to marry and die without a childo So if the first wife is barren, the husband will try to marry a second wife to get his own children. They don't feel comfortable with children adopted from the orphanage. Because of the husband's desire for male children if a wife continues to get female children a husband may marry a second wife to get sons. The thesis concludes that the Catholic Church missionaries were not patient to understand the Luo marriage beliefs and practices so that they could present christian gospel among the people whose culture they knew. Instead, they got engaged in destroying the Luo marriage beliefs and practices, therefore, failed to preach a gospel that could largely meet the Luo cultural and spiritual needs. Many Luo people have not changed their attitudes and beliefs that their security is in christianity. This is because when they are confronted with serious crises which christianity fails to offer solutions, they revert to seek answers in the long old age traditions of their forefathers. Therefore, the Catholic Church should promote a dialogue with the Luo traditions and where necessary adapt itself to local situations without harming its own faith. otherwise, the church will continue to experience split from itself to give rise to innependent churches due to pyschological frustrations. The Luo community and Kenyans should understand that the traditional social and economic structures that supported the practices of polygamy, and the levirate are breaking away therefore, in many situations polygamy, levirate and the close births of many children make it difficult to meet modern expectations of good education, clothing, housing and food which are basic needs. These demands in some circumstances make many wives and children become a liability to the family. The church and the government should therefore, introduce safe family planning methods in a most simple,

understable and credible way to the people without violating their moral rights and dignity. The thesis does not claim that its findings are exhaustive and final, it only creates gateway for the would be interested scholars and students for further researches in the same field or in other rich areas like Luo birth and death beliefs and practices where very little material has been documented.