Paper short abstract:

This paper examines marriage practices among Arsi Oromo women in Ethiopia. Through their voices I explore contexts and significations of marriages, bridewealth/exchanges, and how community members are changing and adapting wedding contracts in view of social, religious, economic, and political changes.

Paper long abstract:

Though it is constantly changing, scholars and activists have often characterized Arsi Oromo society as patriarchal, patrilineal, and patrilocal, with lineage and clan at the core of society. Marriage, which is exogamous, is very consequential for Arsi women and men, in terms of social relations, politics, property/land ownership, and rights. Today, though some youth are continuing their studies or choosing their spouses, in rural areas marriages are still generally decided and contracted by fathers, men searching for second wives, and elders. Historically young women did not have a say in the matter, but now some youth refuse marriage for different reasons. However, wedding contractions and ceremonies still tend to be perceived as asymmetrical, with men deciding and managing the social and economic terms of agreement, and women preparing the logistical arrangements and emotional support at home. The Arsi marriage process still remains central to examining different ways genders are conceived, negotiated, and manipulated. Today two of the most commonly practiced wedding ceremonies are gabbara/halanga (lit. bridewealth/whip) and wolgara (lit. exchange of two wombs (daughters)). Butaa (marriage by abduction), the subject of my current research, and binbeeto (marriage of a sister's widow) are less frequent, but still persist. In this paper, I will draw on ongoing interdisciplinary and multi-sited fieldwork since 2002 among the Arsi Oromo to offer both historic and contemporary analyses of weddings and the ways identities are negotiated and transformed in the process (Baxter 1996, Qashu 2009). Through Arsi women's voices I will explore marriages, bridewealth/exchanges, and adaptations.