Bride Price Post-humously: Justice for Which Gender

Abstract

This study is informed by the authors' lived experiences. The first author has had three experiences where close colleagues have had to pay bride price posthumously in the first decade of the 21st century. Two incidents happened immediately after the death of each female spouse in 2004 and 2005 respectively. The third incident occurred in 2009 which was 10 years after the death of a spouse. After experiencing the third incident, we felt obliged to find out people's perception and understanding of the practice of bride price payment particularly after the death of a female spouse which we are referring to as post-humous. 11,e study was conducted through emails using a seven item questionnaire. The study reveals that justice is interpreted and practiced differently in various ethnic groups; it is linked to marriage and bride price; and to most communities it is interpreted and practiced differently in various ethnic groups; it is linked to marriage and bride price; and to most communities it is a complex phenomena that is more than benovelence We recommend ethnographic and multi-site research on this sub­-culture.