Marriage. Ideally, the Fulani do not practice
birth control because the perfect or model Fulani marriage will produce many
children. Toward that goal, the Fulani marry young. No special value is placed
on virginity, and women are not shy about boasting about their various
experiences. In fact, the Fulani expect young women to bring sexual experience
to marriage. There are even special dances in which women select mates, with
the proviso that the mate selected not be her fiancé or a particular category
of relative—one to whom she could be affianced, for example.
At the same time, a woman is expected
to display appropriate modesty whenever the subject of marriage arises, for
marriage confers on her a special status. There has been some confusion
regarding what constitutes the marriage ceremony among the Fulani. Because
neither bride nor groom may be present at the ceremony, owing to
shame-avoidance taboos, the significance of the cattle ceremony ( koowgal )
has often been overlooked. In that ceremony, the bride's father transfers one
of his herd to the groom, legalizing the marriage. There may also follow a more
typical Islamic ceremony, termed kabbal Again, neither bride
nor groom may actually be present at the ceremony.
An important public acknowledgment of
the marriage is the movement of the bride to her husband's village, termed bangal. The
women of that village come to greet her, and the welcome is a rite of passage
for the bride. The bride's status increases with each child she has, especially
with the birth of males.
The Fulani prefer endogamy. Their first
choice of a marriage partner is a patrilateral parallel cousin. If that is not
possible, their other choices are for the partners to share a
great-grandfather, a great-great grandfather, or a patrilateral cross cousin.
Domestic Unit. A man is allowed four wives. Each wife
brings cattle with her to the marriage. It is a major obligation for a woman to
milk the cattle and prepare the dairy products. A woman receives respect from
her sons and daughters-in-law.
Inheritance. Lineage members inherit cattle and
widows. Among Town Fulani, inheritance generally follows Islamic prescriptions,
with the exception that generally women do not contest their inheritance with
their full brothers.
Socialization. At 2 years of age, children are weaned.
A child's father remains distant throughout its life. Women provide for
children's needs. Thus, a mother and her daughters tend to the needs of her
sons. A young girl first plays at carrying dolls on her back and then moves on
to carrying her baby brother.
Among the Pastoral Fulani, baby girls
are given amulets for fertility and boys for virility. Mothers take care to
preserve and shape their children's conformity to the Fulani ideal notions of
beauty. Mothers attempt to lengthen their children's noses by pressing them
between their fingers, stretching, and squeezing hard. They also attempt to
shape their children's heads into the ideal round shape.
Acquiring a culture is perceived as
acquiring something that is found. The Fulani term is tawaangal. There
is a sense that no one invented nor can change these traditions, for they
define what it is to be Fulani.
Young children are treated with great
gentleness and are rarely disciplined. Adults seek to avoid giving them any
emotional shocks. Most training is given by a child's mother and the other
women of the compound. They are believed to be more capable of patience and
reciprocity. Young girls are initiated into their adult work through games. The
young girl carries her doll. At 2 or 3 years old her ears are pierced, six
holes in her right ear and six in her left. Almost as soon as she can walk
well, she is placed into the middle of a circle of dancing women who begin to
teach her to dance and praise her efforts lavishly.
Indeed, the transition to adulthood
proceeds in smooth steps. At about 5 years of age, girls are taught the rules
of the moral code -mbo. There are to be no sexual relations of
any kind with brothers. A woman may not look at her fiancé in the face. She
must demonstrate respect for elders and must never mention her future
parents-in-law. Women have two essential roles in Fulani society, that of
sister and daughter. Either at her naming ceremony or just before she leaves
her father's home for her husband's, a woman's father presents her with a
heifer. There is shame for a man on entering his daughter's home; however, the
strong affection he demonstrates for his grandchildren is meant to show his
affection for his daughter as well.
Young boys play at taking care of the
cattle and performing men's work. Mothers come to rely more on sons than on
daughters because daughters will leave the compound upon marriage.
-KANDE ADDA DANJUMA
KUW/U14/SLG/2002
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