ANTH 2000W Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Bride Price, Main Source, El Hadji Diouf
Document Summary
When the majority of the population is asked about marriage, they typically have a straightforward answer: marriage is the union of two people. It is only considered a marriage in cultures in which it is legal. Of the cultures that have legalized polygamy, senegal has the highest percentage of the population that does engage in this practice. Although polygamous marriages are considered a normal practice in senegal for political, economic, and religious reasons, they can be detrimental to the women and the children involved. Islam is a major religion in senegal, which accounts for why polygamous marriages are legal in this country. This quote proves that polygamy is widely accepted for people with islamic faith. The quran makes an interesting point by stating that if a man chooses to marry more than one woman, he must treat them fairly and must be financially stable enough to support each wife he has.
