The marriage is considered as a free agreement between two sides. In many beliefs and culture a marriage is an agreement between Man and Woman. Thus both sides agree to stay in fidelity. In East Africa a woman is a family woman. – By Julian Rubavu, Freelance Journalist. Tanzania. July 01, 2013.
In Africa like in other continents a woman is for her husband especially for sexual intercourse. It is mentioned even in the Bible and Quran that in case of breaching marriage’s fidelity it would be the main cause of the end of marriage.
Differently, in Masai tribe Tanzania, Banyamulenge in eastern DRC and some families in Rwanda and Burundi, before 1980s women were totally for the family members use in sexual intercourse.
Now the habit has decreased due to the spread of HIV/AIDS where many people were dead and now healthy education is given to save these tribes, but it continues in small number.
The Masai men in Arusha Tanzania, most of them are keeping cattle. During the day when a husband is out, his brother, father or any man comes and sleep with the woman inside the hut, then the man inside leaves his spear outside near the door of hut as a sign to the hut’s owner that there is another man inside sexing with his wife; then when the man comes and see the spear he takes another direction till the end of inside activity, confirmed by Mr. Ole Muray, the Maasai in Arusha Tanzania; “This was our culture but now we get obstacles from government and NGOs telling us about health education”.
In western Uganda where are Hima and Nkole tribes, the same in Rwanda and Banyamulenge in the DRC, for many centuries ago a woman was for the whole family members and not only for her own husband.
It means that like the Masai in Tanzania, the brother in law, father in law or any family relative had an access to sex with the wife married into the family as it has been confirmed by different people contacted from the region.
In Rwanda Ms Uwamahoro Christine from Kibungo eastern province said that, “I’m young girl seeking marriage. In the basic education received from my mother, I have to obey every person which means it is prohibited to refuse any demand from my future husband family members”. She commented that when receiving those words she couldn’t react to her mother. It could be seen as indiscipline sign.
Despite of these practices, today it has been changed and when it comes it is done secretly due the epidemic of HIV/AIDS as it was confirmed by Mr. Shyaka Daniel, Munyamulenge tribe from Masisi in eastern DRC, “Normally young boy like I could learn to sex from my sister in law, but now we get instruction that we can be contaminated by HIV. Otherwise it was very good” he regretted.
Mr. Shyaka explained that when the father in law sexed with his sister in law, he gave her one or more cows as a sign of love-satisfaction received from his son’s wife.
The same applied in Uganda where the king of Buganda kingdom has the right to pass the night with any woman in his kingdom as it was confirmed by Mr. Kizindo Ibrahim Salim, in charge of tourism in Buganda kingdom state, “Our King is the king of everything including women, men and other properties” he said.
When questioned Mr. Kizindo Ibrahim Salim, if this tradition exists nowadays he hesitated; “now people are afraid of HIV/AIDS, but this was giving the supremacy to our King as the highest man of the whole kingdom”.
By Julian Rubavu, Freelance Journalist. Tanzania.
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