Traditional Nandi customary law

  

Date Posted: 6/20/2013 10:58:56 PM

Posted By: faith sanga  Membership Level: Silver  Total Points: 137

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Marriage.
A man was usually in his middle twenties when he married.As males were circumcised only at twelve to fifteen year intervals,the youngest age for circumcision of boys being about thirteen years.Occasionally a boy was married in his teens where his father was wealthy or old and had no other sons who could inherit his property.
Similarly, a girl was never married until she had been circumcised.Female initiations ceremonies took place every year from about a month after rains(iwot kot)march until(kipsunde) September so that there will be plenty of food for them.A bride would usually be in her middle or later teens and would have been circumcised within the previous two to three years having spent the intervening period in strict seclusion.
Arrangement of marriage
The first marriage of a man and a girl was arranged by their parents or guardians accordingly to the prospective bridegroom; a man with a marriageable daughter was obliged to wait until approached with an offer of marriage.On the other hand, a young man could ask his father to procure a wife for him he could name the particular girl of his choice.
Polygamy was of course practiced by the tribe.
Bride-wealth.
The bride's father stated the bride-price(kanyiok) which varied slightly in amount from clan to clan but not within a particular clan.It would be in the region of two herd of cattle(one heifer and one ox)and three sheep and or goats.

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