English
Marriage through the Purchase of an Enslaved Woman
Tiv
Kwase u Sha Uika
Marriage Customs
📅 July 14, 2026
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🌐 English Summary
A rare form of Tiv marriage in which wealthy men purchased women who had been sold into slavery by neighbouring communities to become wives.
🌐 English
Kwase u Sha Uika was a rare form of marriage among the Tiv in which a man purchased a woman who had been sold into slavery and made her his wife. Because of the high cost involved, this form of marriage was generally limited to wealthy individuals.
Unlike other Tiv marriage systems, Kwase u Sha Uika usually involved women from neighbouring ethnic groups rather than Tiv communities. Although it existed historically, it was never a common form of marriage and gradually disappeared with the abolition of slavery and changes in social and legal systems.