Wedding

Jukun Traditional Marriage Attires

Jukun traditional marriage attire is quite distinct as it promotes African culture and the beauty of the black woman. The traditional marriage requirements and bride price lists of the jukun people are based purely on the people’s culture.

Jukuns are the direct descendant of the people of the ancient Kwararafa Kingdom found in Taraba, Benue and Nasarawa states in Nigeria. They are majorly warriors, hence their occupation is predominantly fighting. Jukun people who reside around the banks of River Benue and Niger are fishermen while those in Adamawa, Plateau, Gombe and Northwest Cameroon are fabric makers of tie-dye clothing. They were also mainly traditional worshipers before Christianity came along.

Marriage Systems In Jukunland

The Jukun tribe has a very rich cultural heritage like most African tribes. But unlike them, their marriage system is cheap. In Jukunland are the Wapan, Donga and Wukari subgroups whose traditional systems are not far off from the Jukuns. In this post, we covered photos of the Jukun Traditional Marriage attires and their cultural practices.

Marriage and sex in Jukunland are considered sacred practices between families, where both partners form bridges to the union. It has been a culture for Jukun ladies who are remained virgins till the wedding night to be celebrated.

From the Jukun custom on marriage, three systems legally bind man and woman as husband and wife. They include:

1. Cross Cousin Marriage

In this marriage form, a man can marry his niece from his mother’s side but cannot marry his niece from his father’s side. Also, if he must marry his paternal cousin, then she has to be his father’s sister’s daughter, but not his father’s brother’s daughter. The majority of Jukuns engage in this cross-cousin marriage as it is considered the best. This is because it establishes strong ties among the clan and divorce rarely occurs here.

2. Marriage By Inheritance

Inheritance marriage is another system of marriage known as the Jukuns. Ordinarily, a married woman is regarded as the family property and not just her husband’s.

Therefore, after the death of the woman’s husband, she would be inherited by a member of the family. This can be her husband’s brother, cousin, or uncle. Marriage by inheritance in jukunland only takes place after the widow mourned the death of her husband by observing the necessary traditional rites. These rites usually take one to two years.

When she is done mourning her late husband, a member of the family who wishes to inherit her will indicate by visiting her constantly and gifting her. A man can only marry the wife of his elder brother, uncle, or cousin; but not his younger brother’s wife, his mother, or his father’s wife

3. Marriage By Purchase System

Except for Jukun Kona, all Jukun dialects practise marriage by exchange. Here, families exchange sisters or cousins in marriage. It also involves payment of the bride price. The intending couples, however, have to go through a courtship stage known as AGYA. Some money is also presented to the lady as “abe wa vyon-vyon” (love gift). A mediator – Kwanben in the Wukari dialect or Atikpo in Wanu is given a certain sum which he would present to the bride’s parents. And if accepted, a date for the formal traditional marriage would be fixed.

On the fixed day for the traditional Marriage, items like crates of soft drink, packets of chewing gum, litres of kerosene, money for the bride, money for courtship – Abe gya, love gift – Abe wa vyon vyon, money for Declaration of Wedding, transport allowance for the bride’s parents, money for unblocking of the door – Abe wa po nyakyon, project allowance to the bride’s father, money for Grinding of grain into flour, money for Mattress are presented to the girl’s parents. After which they render their prayers and formal approval to the marriage.