Learn about Exotic Marriage Systems (Part 2)

26.04.2011 | By: Robert S.

Today you can learn more about unusual marriage systems, about people who get married to a ghost and those who get married to God.

A marriage to a ghost is possible when a man dies without any legal heirs. (PhotoXpress)

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What kind of marriage is an exotic marriage?

When it comes to exotic marriage systems, it’s important to distinguish between the biological father or the genitor and the social father or the pater.

Marriage to a ghost

Some of the unusual marriage systems include a marriage to a ghost, which is possible when a man dies without any legal heirs. His patrilineal relatives are obliged to organise a wedding in his name. For example, a younger brother is given the status of the substitute of the deceased. His children are given the status of the deceased’s children and are therefore legal heirs. The deceased is their pater, whereas the younger brother, who is his substitute, is their genitor.

On the outside, there is no distinction between such a family and other families. On the inside, the family has another member – a ghost. A marriage to a ghost isn’t the levirate marriage because a woman who marries a ghost cannot be a widow, and in addition, there’s a marriage (which doesn’t occur in the levirate practice). A marriage to a ghost is a form of solving the problem with a lack of heirs. It’s interesting, above all, because it doesn’t end with death and is eternal. A marriage to a ghost is, for example, known among Nuers.

Marriage of a woman to a woman

Marriage systems that we find exotic are also familiar with the same-sex marriage among women. A woman can get married to another woman if she acts as a man. This means that she pays bride wealth. Immediately after the wedding, this woman finds her wife a partner (he can be from her group) to conceive a child with her. These children will belong to the woman. The social father or the pater is therefore the woman.

A woman who proclaims herself a man (and the father of children) is usually sterile. Sterility is also a legitimate reason for such a marriage. This woman is entitled to a share of bride wealth, which is divided among the members of her group. She is also entitled to the bride wealth of her daughters. If such a woman is wealthy, she can have several wives. In that case, she has control over all children and everybody calls her father.

In West Africa, sterility wasn’t a condition for marriage among women. A woman has several wives who bear children. They represent work force for her at the same time.

Marriage to God

When talking about unusual marriage systems, we also have to mention the marriage to God. It occurs in Southern and South-Eastern Asia, especially within the caste system of India. This is a form of fight against a lack of heirs. A group chooses one of the daughters, takes her to a temple, and marries her to God. A woman married to God is called basavi. She is a holy prostitute because she has sexual relations with men belonging to higher castes who come to the temple. A woman married to God is given the status of a man and transfers the right to inheritance to her son. If she bears daughters, they also become basavi.