Question

Ridewealth is how men compete over wives. The most desirable wives generate more intense competition from men, which drives up bridewealth. Bridewealth payments among the Kipsigis vary according to several traits in prospective wives. Identify the desirable traits in prospective Kipsigis wives that would increase the value of their bridewealth.

Answer 1

Explanation:

Bridewealth is a custom in many societies around the world where the groom pays gifts and good to the family members of the bride. Thus men who have more wealth have the advantage of marrying more wives or younger wives.

Bridewealth is also practiced in the Kipsigis society. Some of the desirable traits that would increase the bridewealth's value for the prospective Kipsigis wives are --

• when brides are younger, their bridewealth is more than the brides who are older in age because younger wives can have more children.
• brides with higher education have more bridewealth than others
• when brides are healthy and plump, they can ask for more bridewealth.