In Atyap culture, a marriage introduction used to happen when the boy was still about five or seven years old and the girl, a baby. The father or uncle of the boy usually brought for the betrothal, a necklace, called “Nyeang A̱lala̱”. Afterwards, four chickens, some volumes of tobacco, and a mat. A lot has changed over time though.
Atyap (popularly known as Kataf) is a major ethic group in Zangon Kataf local government in Kaduna state. Peace Danjuma speaking to 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE from Kaduna, shed more light on an Atyap modern marriage. She said, after courting a girl, and the two of you agree to marry, you tell your parents and the date for introduction is fixed. Kurum ndi, the dowry is paid during the introduction, and afterwards you prepare for the church wedding. What you are to pay for the kurum ndi is the same either as an Åtyap or non-Åtyap.
What is the position of the Atyap people on inter-tribal marriages? David Yohanna works as a civil servant in Abuja, and said the Atyap people are very open to marrying from other tribes, however, for one who is a non Atyap, marrying from the tribe, is not binding on him to do all rites as are fully performed by an all Atyap man. Christians also avoid certain traditional rites because of their faith.
Yohanna said, for certain families that may want to keep things simple, it depends on what understanding one reaches with the family of the bride. ‘’From experience, even if the nuclear family agrees to take things simple, the extended family might interrupt’’. However, dowry payment is basic, even as Christians. An average Atyap family does not collect above N40,000 for dowry. As for the salt, goats, and other items they are customary for a sub-Sahara African wedding regardless of the cultural area. So, this is also what the Atyap people collect basically for dowry.
One interesting thing among the A̱tyap, though also a common phenomenon among other neighbouring ethnic groups is that the Atyap people strongly believe that marriage was established by A̱gwaza (God) and the fullness of an Atyap womanhood lies, first, in a woman having a husband. An unmarried woman is considered as, “á̱niet ba ba̱ yet á̱kukum a̱ni” (people who are only 50.0 percent complete), who become 100 percent human beings only after marriage, Yohanna explained.
Another Atyap man, James, (surname refrained) , a student at the Department of Theater And Performing Arts, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria said, there are a number of narratives as to how marriages were conducted in the pre-colonial times in Atyap land. But of note are two: types: Primary and Secondary marriages.
Primary Marriage
In this cateɡory, a girl may be betrothed to a male child or adult at birth, through the girl’s uncle or a male paternal cousin. The engagement between the girl and her husband-to-be was officially done when the girl was about four or five years old.
Materials for Primary marriage were ‘Four fowls for the girl’s father or cash equivalent; 2000 cowries to the girl’s father. In addition, presumably at the time of the actual wedding, 20,000 cowries were given to the father , who kept two-thirds for his own use and distributed the rest among his relatives. James said, before the final rites, a goat was required for the girl’s mother, three fowls to the father and 100 cowries to her maternal grandfather. However, the number of cowries did not exceed 1000. When this was completed, a date was then set by the girl’s father for the marriage, which took the form of capture. Here, the close associates of the boy laid ambush for the girl, seized and left her in the hut of one of the man’s relatives, where the bride stayed for three days and three nights.
On the fourth day, the marriage was consummated in the hut. James also said primary marriages always took place during the dry season, mostly after harvest. He however didn’t say what the reason for this was.
In a situation where a girl was pregnant at her paternal house before marriage an arrangement was made for an emergency marriage. Unwanted pregnancy was rare and unusual among the Atyap people.
Marriage by Necklace
The primary marriage had two prominent features: Nyeang A̱lala and Khap Ndi or Khap Niat.
From oral accounts, as James narrates, having heard from his Grandmother, “At the announcement of the birth of a baby girl within the neighbourhood, parents of a young man who was yet to be booked for a wife would come and put a necklace or a ring on the infant girl with the consent of her parents’’. This signified that she had been betrothed to their son. The dowry was then paid immediately. At the turn of adolescence, the girl was taken to her husband’s house to complete the marriage process, and ‘’this was normally accompanied by a feast”, James said, with a smile.
Farming for dowry
Mr Achi, about 70 years old, speaking to 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE through an interpreter, said “When I had attained the age of ten years, I had to start providing the compulsory farm labour to my father-in-law.” This compulsory farmwork lasted for at least two months each year for nine years. For some families however, it was not more than one rainy season, though suitors were liable to providing another labour termed Khap A̱kan, Beer farming. This extra farming for grains for the beer that the in-laws needed in a year when large Atyap festivals took place.
In addition to this farm work, In each dry season, the suitor was required to send twelve bundles of grass to the father-in-law. These bundles of grass were a symbol of fertility. After completing all the necessary requirements, the marriage date was fixed.
Mr Achi said, who did not undertake this compulsory farm labour for their father-in-law were not allowed to marry among the Atyap. They could however marry a divorcee on whom this compulsory labour was not necessary. Such men were given the same labour in their old age even if they had marriageable daughters.
Those who partook in this compulsory task had another benefit apart from marrying their wives. They could become a member of council both at the village and clan levels.
Secondary Marriage
In this type of marriage, the husband was not allowed to marry a member of the same clan, a close relation of his mother, a member of a primary wife’s parental household, the wife of a member of his kindred, or the wife of a fellow villager. These regulations applied to all the clans and sub-clans of Atyap within and in diaspora. Any violation attracted severe punishment.
However, members of some clans are allowed to seek their secondary wives among the wives of fellow clansmen. Bride price in this category of marriage cost about 15 pounds and a goat.
Today, however, Atyap marriages are conducted as an elaborate traditional and church Wedding, with a lot of mix from other cultures.
