INTRO
The Urhobo people of Niger Delta are indigenous persons of Nigeria. It is estimated that regarding 2 mil Nigerians happen to be Urhobos. Urhobo is the sixth most populous ethnic group in the country and the single many populous cultural group in Delta point out. The Urhobo people are focused in these towns: Abraka, Effurun, Sapele, Ugheli and Warri. The language with the Urhobo persons is called Urhobo (Logaby, 2013). Urhobo householder’s history is usually said to include begun in the Edo terrain, present day Benin City. It can be believed that at the end of Ogiso dynasty, the Urhobos left the ancient city of Udo where we were holding formerly located to additional peaceful pay out territories. Urhobo shares one common origin using its neighboring people: Ndokwa, Kwale, Isoko, Bini, Itsekiri and Ijaw because they all appeared from the same Bini Disposition. The Urhobo people, though united, consist of 22 independent kingdoms particularly: Evwreni, Idjerhe, Agbon, Ughwerun Avwraka, Eghwu, Okpe, Ephron-oto, Ogor, Agbarha-Ame (Agbassa), Agbarho Okere, Okparabe, Udu, Ughelli, Ughievwen, Arhavwarien, Uvwie, Oghara, Agbarha, Olomu and Orogun. Each of the kingdoms is advancing by the ruler or group head referred to as the Ovie or Okpara-Uku. Although the Urhobos share origins and other commonalities with their neighboring tribes, they have distinguished themselves clearly in a few aspects of tradition. This paper would addresses the unique nature with the Urhobo people in regards to matrimony, family existence and fests.
MARRIAGE
Nature of marriage
Marriage, generally, is a unification of a man and woman, which can be socially and morally satisfactory in a society. Within the Urhobo culture, marriage is seen as a divine and cultural unification not just between the couple, although between two families. Families have an important role in ensuring the success of the relationship through every its stages, from the diamond through the wedding ceremony negotiations towards the actual marriage. Also, it is expected the families of the bride and groom will certainly intervene to fix any when ever problems or perhaps conflicts inside the marriage (Urhobo People and Culture, 2013).
Traditional forms of marriage
There are diverse forms of courtship and relationship in the Urhobo culture: Esavwijotor Esavwijotor can be described as marriage give your word made by the parents when all their son or daughter is young. This is based on founded ties between families, a business alliance or maybe the observed exceptional character the kid. Normally, the marriage is not based on take pleasure in, as it have been pledged considering that the potential spouses were young. However , appreciate can develop as soon as they are committed. Ose Ose is a great unconventional sort of marriage where no dowry has been paid, but the union is still capturing. It is similar to concubine. Lovers may are living together or perhaps live separately. They possess the full marriage rights and exclusiveness of a real marriage but restricted customary (legal) rights, like the right to bury and mourn In-laws. (Peter Palmer Ekeh, 2005). Arranged Marriage in Absentia In this instance, a man that lives in foreign countries engages his family to marry a lady on his behalf. Both potential spouses might not exactly have seen or met the other person at this time. A representative stands set for the bridegroom during the wedding. It may be obligatory for the wife to be with the potential husband’s family members for a while whereafter she goes toward be with him and live fully while his better half. Love is usually expected to develop over the course of wedding ceremony. In some cases, either partner might reject wedding and call that off.
Wedding ceremony process
This level of the procedure begins with all the groom fantastic family appointing a friend or possibly a relative to talk interest for the prospective wife’s family. This representative becomes the intermediary between the people through all stages with the marriage procedure. Before this, the mans family must have conducted discrete inquiries to unearth any unwelcome hereditary diseases or any type of intolerable characteristic or habit shown by her mother. There is a opinion help by many among the Uhrobo that the habit of a mom can show the little girl’s future patterns in her matrimonial house (Edevbie, not any date). After the man’s is satisfied, the representative formally approaches the parents of the girl to officially declare the man’s fascination to marry her. Commonly, the man’s family delivers the woman’s parents gifts to boost the chances that they may treat the request positively. Usually, the response can be not provided at that time, but after the intermediary returns multiple times. During this hold off, the girl’s side has got the opportunity to perform their own analysis into their prospective in-laws as well as to discuss the proposal inside the family. In case the results are very good, the proposal is acknowledged and the concept is presented to the gentleman and his relatives through the intermediary (Edevbie, not any date).
The potential husband and his friends and family visit the bride’s family several times to negotiate some matrimony prerequisites specified by the category of the star of the wedding, most importantly the bride price. The bride fee does not consist of simply money, although also includes additional symbolic presents in the form of kola nuts, nasty kola, sweetie and gin or palm-wine. The paying off the bride-to-be fee in Urhobo traditional wedding has many purposes.
- It secures and legitimizes the location of a girl in a home in addition to society, while she is at this point a wedded woman and of higher status than before.
- It sets approves and authorizes the living layout of a woman residing in the husband’s home.
- This legitimizes the place or part of children in the family. Children with fathers that neglected the payment of bride fee, are thought as emá»rá»se (children born out of wedlock) and face discrimination both inside the family and by society.
- The payment of the new bride fee is a reminder to the husband to cherish his wife and treat her with esteem.
- It is sign the fact that bride’s relatives approve of her marriage. Therefore , the new bride enters the marriage assured that she depends on her family members for support if she ever requires it.
Although bride payment in every area is already known, the negotiation in the bride payment is complex. Individuals engaged tend to speak indirectly, using proverbs and idioms in Urhobo to teach or to produce demands. Throughout the negotiation, the bride’s side tends to look for more money, putting an emphasis on the remarkable virtues and qualities of their daughter. Lack of attempts to minimize the price simply by asking for empathy, considering of all their prior efforts. The bride’s family members usually responds favorably, so long as the fee doesn’t land below regional standards. This kind of negotiation can last for a long period until both parties will be tired and thus choose to reach an agreeable settlement. The wedding ceremony Ceremony: Bride-to-be Price Repayment and Handing over in the Bride When needed of the wedding ceremony, the groom’s family can look at the bride’s home. The bride’s relatives will offer drinks and kola nuts and money to them, relative to Urhobo tradition. After this first entertainment, everyone are asked why they visited. The guests state that they may have come with the intention of marrying the bride for son. In case the bride’s relatives accepts this proposition, next comes the the figuring out of the bride-to-be they wish to get married to. The bride’s family will certainly parade about four women in front of the bridegroom, who will decline them all. The groom’s family would have to pay out the rejected girls some cash. Then, the bride is presented towards the groom to verify the real identity of his decided bride. Following she is recognized, the new bride is asked if she would like to marry the man. The group of the bride can only obtain the bride cost if the girl agrees. After that, the bridegroom or his family pays the new bride fee for the bride’s along with upon acceptance, the bride’s father pours out a libation to the gods and ancestors. “The libation is usually poured utilizing a native wacholderbranntwein (ogogoro) or perhaps may be symbolized by Gordon gin and kola nuts”.
The Head of the friends and family says a prayer “in a heart of ẹkpẹvwẹ (thanksgiving) to God and in remembrance in the ancestors, to whom he telephone calls upon to bless the marriage. He creates the five themes usually used in Urhobo prayers, namely ufuoma (peace), omakpokpá» (good health), emá» (children), efe (wealth) and otá»vwe (long life)”. The bride then simply sits on her behalf husband’s laps. The wacholderbranntwein is presented with to the spouse to drink who, after his first swig, hands this to his wife who have also drinks and moves it back to her him to finish, as a signal of respect. After this is done, they are declared husband and wife and both people shower the couple with money.
This is actually the last stage of a full marriage per Urhobo custom. It is the offering of the bride since wife towards the groom’s family. After the wedding party, both households meet to set a date to maneuver the bride-to-be into her husband’s home. The groom’s family and friends happen to be waiting to welcome his new wife. They perform a special service to invite the partner’s ancestors to also recognize her, and bind her to her partner. There is a marriage blessing during which the parents and older members of the family pray and bless the bride and her marriage. Festivities remembering the appearance of the new bride will continue all night and well in to the following morning hours.
Differences among traditional and modern Urhobo marriage
When classic Urhobo Marriage is in comparison with the Urhobo marriage these days, some dissimilarities emerge. These kinds of differences can be attributed to the influence of western culture or changing values from the society. Son Meets Woman Courtship This can be the courtship procedure most commonly used in modern marriages, as opposed to the classic processes shown earlier. In some instances, the parents might not exactly know of your initial courtship, and might not be involved at all right up until their son or daughter informs them. Both families then get involved, and the ideas for relationship are started. Modern Marriage Process Most modern marriages continue to preserve some aspects of the standard marriage rituals, in addition of a Church wedding ceremony and the Computer registry. Family Engagement From the courtship stage to the wedding ceremony for the post-marriage lifestyle of the couple, Traditional marriage is dedicated to the families. Traditional relationship encourages family intervention or perhaps mediation, which has been shown to reduce the chances of divorce or separation, but family members intervention in contemporary relationships is seen as disturbance. Marriage is between the star of the wedding and the bridegroom, so the households do not have to always be actively engaged.
Love inside the Marriage
The basis intended for traditional marriage is prosperity, prestige as well as for children. Love, whether that occurs after or not really, is not at the cutting edge. On the other hand, traditional western influence provides promoted the notion that matrimony cannot function without love making intending couples adamant to determine and like each other before and during wedding. In modern marriage, people get married as they are in appreciate. Monogamy Urhobo traditional matrimony is polygamous in mother nature. It enables the husband to marry numerous wives as he can afford to. However , polygamy has faded in modern times, due to the prevalence of marriages based upon love as well as the social taboo now attached with it. Contemporary Urhobo relationship is monogamous. “Monogamous marital life consists of the exchange of mutual promises by the couple at the exclusion of other women”.
Coitus
Traditionally, there is a double standard among the list of Urhobos in whose gods discipline women who make adultery while the men are spared. The husband can to marry as much wives as or have numerous affairs as he likes with out punishment whereas, a committed woman dares not let her side to be placed by another man. “Usually, Eri/Erivwi, (the spirit of the ancestors) is going to attack the girl with some health problem and even eliminate her spouse and kids until the girl confesses or perhaps an oracle reveals that. The atonement is based on a strongly placed belief among the Urhobos that a person who has defiled the forefathers needs purification to avoid their particular wrath. The girl is stigmatized for the rest of her life and required to sacrifice a goat to conciliate the deity and to ritually cleanse her before the girl can continue her matrimony if the man wouldnt send out her”. In a modern marriage, adultery is often wrong, no matter who commits it. Nevertheless modern Nigerian society even now retains most of its patriarchal ideals, and thus, even in modern society the condemnation of adultery is still more severe for the woman.
Rights of the Female
Within a modern marital life, women are conferred with the right to home upon the death with their husbands, giving them necessary support. This system recognizes the advantages of the woman towards the creation and supervision of the family home. She is likewise given the rights to her spouse’s monthly pension.
Implications for Polygamy and Traditional Marriage
Contemporary Urhobo girls now have equally forms the regular marriage as well as the western matrimony, which excludes polygamy. Economical independence from their husbands, because of better education, freedom and lower patience, has led to an increase in the standard of divorces. Females are now more aware of their particular legal rights inside the marriage plus more often workout those rights e. g., a woman can now evict her husband on the grounds of domestic assault.
EVALUATION OF MARRIAGE IN URHOBO LIFESTYLE
What elements should be retained or eliminated?
Depending on the implications of the previously mentioned differences between Traditional and Modern Urhobo Marriage, some aspects of classic marriage must be retained as part of the cultural history, while some aspects must be removed. Aspects of the cultural matrimony that are much-loved and should become kept would be the family engagement in the relationship and the notion of communal get-togethers between family, friends and villages. On the other hand, some portions of traditional relationship should be discarded. Polygamy and its effects on the women in society ought to continue to perish out. The suppressed legal rights of women throughout the courtship and wedding and within marital life should also always be left. Another aspect needs to be discarded is the concept of Omot’ohwofa. Its textual meaning is definitely, “a lady is another person. ” Yet connotatively, it means that it is a waste of money to educate the female child, because she’d eventually get married, change her maiden brand and sign up for her husband’s family. Therefore , even though she actually is your little girl, she is merely “another person” (ohwofa).
How could marriage play a role in national creation?
Classic Marriage is actually a union of two families, clans and even villages. This tendency towards communal living can be an avenue to promote unity within Nigeria. Marital life between nationalities, if urged, can be the means through which tolerance of the ethnical differences can develop. National Expansion is about increasing the standard of living of any people. A united land will be able to work better together to develop the country.
FAMILY MEMBERS LIFE
The traditional Urhobo family is fundamentally extended- which include ones parents, grandparents, wonderful grandparents, siblings, brothers, aunts, uncles, friends, nephews and nieces. Children raised inside the typical Urhobo traditional establishing would consider any of their particular uncles or perhaps aunts his or her parents and their nephews and nieces as their brothers and sisters. That family program was the style and the nuclear family of european civilization is strange and deemed inhospitable to the traditional values regarding family. Also in contemporary Urhobo towns, loyalty to ones as well as village still have a powerful hold in the actions and behaviors of their people who live away from the communities of their home-towns. The Urhobo people are more accustomed to the extended relatives model with all the nephews, cousins, grandparents whom are taken care of by the children. There are the invisible (spiritual) and the physical members of family. The members of the family which are considered non-physical, especially our ancestors beings and deities, happen to be powerful and therefore are regarded as more than human beings. Their particular presence is definitely fully identified in the Urhobo community, they may be manifested in man-made things, local shrines and altars of the non-physical. In cases where spiritual beings are believed to have been reincarnated in children personal names get to those kids. Harmonious living of the different Urhobo residential areas is fostered by Religious beliefs. Religion has long been an important portion of the Urhobo tradition. It settings all facets of their culture and may result in socio-political and economic constructions. In the quest to attain unified living inside communities there are several channels by which traditional Urhobo religion employs. They contain transfusion of certain crucial religious ideology, initiations, rituals and holy objects, some are:
- Belief in ancestors
- Trankopfer initiation rituals
- Dominant practice symbols
- important traditional establishments
- ways of improving communal lifestyle.
Communal life
Through maximum lineages and families the Urhobo people live in an extremely sociable environment and usually stay together to create communities. Urhobo people have several things in common. For instance , farms, waterways and marketplace places. They also have communal shrines, squares and centers, diverse forms of masquerades, rituals and festivals intended for play actions, religious purposes and economic and political activities. Associates of the same community can be differentiated by expertise in various vocations, forms of control and expertise. Some traditional Urhobo communities are focused in rain-making, weaving of baskets and also other items, wood carving, practice of local medicines, fishing or hunting. All these characteristics represent the public living with the Urhobo society. There are two dimensions with the Urhobo society, the non-physical and the physical dimensions, the world of the physical, and the world of the non-physical, souls of youngsters and divinities. The nonphysical beings are usually portrayed as symbols, objects and shrines.
