The Elgeyo community’s marriage would be considered less formal. The Elgeyo practiced what may be termed as trial marriage.
When a young couple decided to marry, the girl moved into the man’s hut for two months before the wedding ceremony. On this day, the man was required to present the girl’s father with beer as a gift.
If the girl bore a child within the ten months that followed this co-habitation, a beer party was held. The girl’s mother was presented with two goats after which an official ceremony sealed the union. Once the child was born, marriage became indissoluble and separation or divorce was prohibited. If during this period no child was born, the couple was under no commitment restrictions to each other, and the man was encouraged to find another wife.
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Have you heard of a similar marriage tradition? Do you know more about Elgeyo marriage ceremonies?