THE ASANTE CONCEPT OF MARRIAGE AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE TODAY.

Abstract

Asante is one of the major tribes among the Akans, and, is the largest and popular tribe in Ghana. Asante is politically and traditionally a kingdom, and, is one of the few surviving kingdoms in Africa, and the only kingdom in Ghana. The people of Asante occupy one of the ten administrative Regions in Ghana, namely Ashanti Region. Therefore, the Asante Twi language is well spoken and understood by many people in Ghana. Asante, as kinsmen have many political, social, religious and cultural institutions. Within the context of Asante, to ignore the traditional beliefs, attitudes and practices can only lead to lack of understanding of Ghanaian behaviour and problems. It is based on this idea that the Asantes attach great importance to marriage. Marriage according to the oxford dictionary is the formal union of a man and a woman, typically as recognized by Law, by which they become husband and wife.1 Marriage is the recognized institution for the establishment and maintenance of family life. It therefore means that without the institution of marriage there would be no family, nuclear or extended, and therefore no kinship ties. Therefore the Asantes view marriage as the duty of every young man or woman in other to give birth to children who will continue that generation of family and let his or her name be remembered after his or her death