MERRY WIVES OF ABYSSINIA

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 16, 13 February 1942, Page 3

MERRY WIVES OF ABYSSINIA

(Condensed from "Sunday Guard-] ian," Port of Spain, Trinidad) Abyssinia must contain more exwives and exi-husbands per thousand of the population than any other country or town in the world, not even excepting Hollywood. The late Empress Zauditu (Judith), divorced lour husbands. Her predecessor, the Empress Taitu, went one better with five husbands —all divorced. The present Empress, Waizeru Menin, divorced two husbands before marrying Haile Selassie. The abundance of spouses arises largely from the fact that Ethiopia recognises three kinds of marriage, starting with a simple contract that is governed neither by sentiment nor by religion. llie man chooses a bride, and if she is agreeable to live with him he provides her Avitli a home, food, clothing, and the Ethiopian equivalent of a housekeeping allowance. They settle down to married life without any legal or religious ceremony,, .and when either tires c.f the other, the marriage can be ended by mutual consent. This is the normal form of marriage among the Gallas (the subject tribe), and the lower orders of the Amharics.

The civil marriage is rather morn elaborate. It is frequently arranged by friendly parents -while the principals are still infants. Adults using this form of marriage go through a preliminary engagement. The actual marriage takes place fit a feast. Every guest brings a probent, the nature and value of which is .carefully recorded. This procedure is verj' ncccssary, as will b.> seen later. When the details of the presents and the dowry have been satisfactorily recorded, the bride —so muffled as to be entirely hidden by clothes —is brought in.and the -couple arc pronounced man and wife in the name of Menelik. As a general rule, the ceremony is performed by a village elder, but occasionally a priest is called in. In this form of marriage, divorcris still a matter of individual whim. Either party ma3 r make a complaint to an elder and all that worthy lias to say is "Menelik is dead," whereupon the divorce becomes effective. It is no uncommon thing for an Ethiopian husband, to return home from work or hunting to find that he has been divorced during his absence . Alimony is Heavy The wife's alimony consists of one. exact half of the joint property, including the wedding presents. The division is etl'eeted by three neutrals. The third form of marriage is a strict religious ccremony, the rules for avliich are laid down in the intieate legal code of the country. This religious marriage is, however, rarely used, even by the aristocracy. Of the Empress Zauditu's four marriages. only the last was under the religious code. Divorce is only possible with the consent of the Abouna, or Bishop, and then only for certain specified reasons. Alimony is on the same basis for all types of marriage. As a result of the heavy alimony, women who have been married two or three times, acquire a considerable amount of property, but instead o.f fighting shy of these muchmarried ladies, the men pay ardent court to them. Every woman over 40 has been married at least four times ii' she has been married at all, and many women of that age consider that their matrimonial career is only just starting.