The traditions and patterns of traditional African marriages and gender relationships varied substantially across the continent due to the cultural diversity of societies and tribes. Premarital love and sexual plays were allowed for youngsters in many indigenous cultures. However, when it came to marriage, both boys and girls relied on their parents.

Their parents usually had a big say in who, when, and how their boys and girls married because it was their duty to pay the dowry, also known as the bride price. In marriage and family matters, status, resources, and inheritance were among the most important factors.

Parents rarely forced their boys or girls to marry someone they did not like. Nonetheless, both boys and girls frequently appreciated the assistance of parents and relatives in finding a suitable match for them. Yet, love was not a central point of traditional African marriages.

The Traditional Routine of African Marriage

The traditional gender roles of men and women in marriages were stereotypical and rigid. A man or woman knew the cultural expectations of him or her and what duties they were supposed to fulfill.

Every woman was expected to marry, be a good wife, a good cook, a good housekeeper in a household, and bear children. She is expected to be physically strong and be eager to put in long hours for the household’s economic well-being. Her usefulness in housework and childrearing was more important than her physical appearance and personality (Murstein, 1974).

In the system of extended families in many African societies, the role of the husband was often smaller than in nuclear families. He fulfilled his sexual duties and the father’s duty to produce offspring.

His role in the family’s maintenance and relations was smaller. In extended African households, the husband was not much needed for the wife’s and children’s survival. Any member of the family could fulfil the duties of taking care of the pregnant woman or raising children (de Munck et al., 2016; Murstein, 1974).

Spousal Relationships in an African Family

Many African communities were tribal in nature, with extended families that might be patriarchal or non-patriarchal. Gender inequality was quite widespread in African societies, with the superior status of a man and the subordinate role of a woman. However, in some societies, men and women’s relationships were relatively equal or otherwise culturally specific.

Marriage and family were about kinship and household ties rather than spouse relationships. So, affection and intimacy were not priorities. Cultural norms often expected the submissive dispositions and behavior of a wife to a husband’s superiority. However, in some family cases, the spousal relationships were more equal than the cultural norms suggested. A wife was frequently expected to work hard at farming or trading in addition to her cooking and housekeeping duties.

Divorce was relatively easy in many African societies. In the case of family violence, abuse, or overly oppressive behavior by a husband, a wife could leave him. This way, the wife’s family status and rights were protected. And the husband was restrained in his actions. In the case of a divorce, he risked losing the bride price. In these kinds of family situations, the focus was once again on the set roles of marriage rather than on the quality of the relationships between people.

Cultural Transformations of Marital Relationships in the Mid-20th Century in Africa

Many changes occurred in Africa during the second half of the 20th century, rapidly transforming traditional marital relationships. Despite regional and cultural variances, there are some new trends in relationships and marriages.

The increasing urbanization of social life and social mobility were among the major factors. A diverse range of urban jobs replaced the village’s narrow and fixed occupational roles. Transformations in African social organization broke down a collective, kinship-oriented social system.

Education was the other influential factor in this social transformation and cultural evolution. Individualism and achievement-oriented Western norms were gradually supplanting rural stereotypes and mores.

All these social processes have altered the cultural understanding of gender relations, marriages, and families. They changed the criteria and processes of mate selection and marital relations. Families’ ability to influence and control their children’s marital choices and relationships was significantly weakened.

It was especially true in urban areas. African city dwellers were caught between collectivism and individualism as cultural ideologies. They might feel guilty if they rejected their family relatives, but they would be frustrated if they let them dictate the norms.

That was a difficult cultural evolution in African marriage transformation.