Who pays dowry Ghana?

Men’s or husbands’ pay dowry in Ghana

Over the past few years, Ghanaian society has undergone major changes in its cultural practices. What has changed significantly is the price of the bride. In the old days, payment was a family affair.

The price of a woman’s bride was paid by her groom and his family. The price of the bride is not discussed: the groom and his family usually decide what and how much to pay. It will be given voluntarily and voluntarily to the bride’s family.

Before Ghana was colonized by the British in 1867, the bride price was not in cash, as money had not yet been introduced into the Ghanaian economy. Instead, it included items such as Scanap bottles, ornaments, clothing, and cows for mom, dad, and the bride’s brothers.

But times have changed. Paying the bride price has become a more personal habit. A groom initially bears the cost of his marriage, although some families still provide financial support to their sons during the marriage.

A more rigorous development involves money and negotiation. The amount to be paid is strictly negotiated by the bride and groom’s family. The current practice is for the groom to usually request a list from the bride’s family. Although the bride’s price list may vary between families and ethnic groups in Ghana, much of the list includes sister bottles, ornaments, clothing, and money for the bride’s mother, father, and siblings.

Items on the request list have also taken on a modern look. Some families demand electronic devices such as mobile phones, laptops and iPads as dowry prices. Several factors such as the groom’s wealth and status and the bride’s level of education determine how much the groom pays as the bride’s price.

Although the practice of pricing dowry has important cultural and social functions, it has latent, unknown, and unintended consequences.

The goal of our study is to find out how dowry in Ghana shapes cultural and gender identity and marital abuse.

We have seen that the dowry system has social and psychological effects. In Ghana, dowry giving is primarily seen as a cultural constant that must be respected. But, as our research shows, it has both social and emotional implications for men who pay and for those who are paid.

Despite our research, the practice of dowry is a culturally sensitive issue and suggests that its prohibition may be slow or fail.

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