Changes in marriage practices among the Kasena in Nogsenia traditional area of Navrongo

Abstract

The study was designed to explore the changes in traditional marriage practices among the Kasena in the Nogsenia Traditional Area of the Upper East Region. The study was guided by the interpretivist philosophical position, which assumes that reality is socially constructed and subjective. The study adopted a qualitative research approach, using an exploratory case study design. The study's population consisted of elders and clan heads from the Nogsenia Traditional Area of the Kasena-Nankana Municipality in the Upper East Region of Ghana. The sample consisted of 20 respondents selected based on data saturation. The study revealed that the marriage practices of the Kasena have undergone significant transformation overtime, especially in terms of mate selection, bride wealth, marriage ceremonies, marital rights and obligations, the prevalence of endogamy, and the neglect of the extended family in marriage processes. The study also found that these changes have multifaceted implications for the socio-economic systems in the district, such as a shift in gender roles among the Kasena people, challenging or reinforcing patriarchal structures, and empowering or disempowering women. The study recommended that a study be done on the effects of these changes on other aspects of their culture and society, and it also recommended that conscious efforts be made to document and preserve certain traditional marriage practices and rituals, and pass them on to future generations because of their significant roles towards marriage sustainability over the years.