It is the responsibility of the bride's relatives to see she has as wedding gifts all the necessary equipment to run a home. Oh the groom will probably furnish the house with things like mattresses a bed, a wardrobe a television/entertainment center any of the big fancy stuff that he wants and can afford but the, rugs and blankets and sheets and kitchen utensils will come with the bride. They will also go with the bride if she gets divorced, which is a good thing since this is a one time deal. Any future marriages by the woman will be modest affairs attended only by the couple the imam and two witness and gifts are limited to the dowry and any other thing her husband wishes to bestow on her. Read More...

Tags: Women, marriage, gift giving, furnishings

Many articles and reports have been done on the condition of women in Africa or in Islam or in Muslim Africa and so on. I have often been asked my opinion either on the veracity of said articles or on the condition of women in such circumstances. My response is that it is much more complex than can easily be summed up in a 500 word article. It is also my feeling that such articles written by outsiders are often biased.

I will not deny that there is inequality of the sexes in Mali and I will discuss them. But other factors play a role. We must look not only at how our perceptions cause us to misjudge cultural differences but also that some issues that women face are not so much intentional discrimination rather they are the result of a very poor country with too few resources to meet the needs of its population. The final aspect of this question is that we in the west must first examine our own women's equality before seeking to accuse others. Let not those living in glass houses throw stones.
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Tags: Women, traditions, marriage, Religion

One of the events surrounding a traditional marriage in Timbuktu is a party thrown by the girlfriends and age-mates of the new bride. This party is a last bash with all her friends but it is also a show of strength and solidarity for her new in-laws to see that she has lots of people who care about her. Every body dresses up and there is lots of loud music and dancing, some flirting with the boys of the age-set and while the bride must act with dignity- she probably won’t be dancing herself she is permitted to smile, in stark contrast to the wedding itself where she looks miserable or is hidden most of the time. Read More...

Tags: marriage, children, dancing, parties

Weddings in Africa are complex, nuanced affairs. They are also rarely without challenges. Never have I attended one that didn’t have a share of the participants grumbling over some gap in the organization or imagined slight on the part of someone involved. It is an event full of details and frustrations for the organizers and also one of great importance to the life of the bride who will only ever have the one wedding of such pomp. This is where she is fussed over and celebrated and where should receive as gifts all the materials needed to start a household, from dishes and utensils, to quilts and carpets to clothing and cosmetics. Here is an insiders account of one wedding, as all wedding not without its tribulations but ultimately coming to a satisfactory conclusion. Read More...

Tags: marriage, traditions, gift giving

Demands for gifts can be annoying but you are not the only one dealing with this. Gift giving is an integral part of the culuture and can become quite complicated. Read More...

Tags: gift giving, travel, marriage