Marriage
This section on Marriage, added September 2008, was written by Alexandra Duncan and Molly Hayden. It is based on information contributed by Ethiopian interpreters at University of Washington Medical Center and caseworker / cultural mediators at Harborview Medical Center.
The legal age of marriage in Ethiopia for men and women is 18. Prior to a law passed in the year 2000, the acceptable age of marriage for rural girls was 12-14 years old, but some would marry as young as age 9. In urban areas the acceptable age has always been 18 years old.
Traditionally, marriages are arranged by the bride and groom's families. It is customary for the bride's family to give the groom's family gifts at the time of marriage.
There are regional variations in traditions in Ethiopia. In some regions, the groom is expected to give jewelry and the wedding dress to his bride. A woman who cannot provide the customary gifts is at a disadvantage. If her family is poor, a woman will be sequestered in her home for three months. During this time she will undergo extensive beauty rituals, such as henna decoration and herb saunas, while other women in her family and community lavishly pamper and attend to her. At the end of the three months, she will be presented to the community and her future husband's family. The woman's striking beauty is considered to be her gift.
It is common for a young couple to begin their marriage by living in either the husband or the wife's family's home. The woman's mother or mother-in-law, depending on where the newlyweds reside, will instruct her about homemaking and caring for her husband during this time.