Polygamy between culture and choice: tradition, economic power, or human dignity?

Ronélio Zandamela"

A reflection on your subjectivity To speak of polygamy in Mozambique is to enter a terrain where culture, tradition, religion, economic power, and feelings intersect. It is a subject that rarely finds a single answer, because what for some represents cultural continuity, for others may signify a personal choice, and for still others, a relationship marked by inequalities. Perhaps it is precisely for this reason that polygamy continues to spark so much debate. Etymologically, the word polygamy has Greek origins and is related to the idea of multiple marriages or unions. In practice, however, the concept takes on different forms depending on society, religion, and customs. In the African context, and particularly in Mozambique, when polygamy is mentioned, it usually refers to the union of one man with two or more women. Polygamy is not a modern practice. It has accompanied humanity for centuries and appears in different societies and religious traditions. In the Bible, for example, we find references to men who had more than one wife, such as Lamech, Jacob, Abraham, David, and Solomon. The latter is traditionally associated with an extraordinary number of wives and concubines. In Islam, polygamy is also permitted under certain conditions, including the man's ability to guarantee fair treatment and material conditions for his wives. This demonstrates that, historically, polygamy did not necessarily originate from an idea of male superiority, but was associated with social, economic, religious, and cultural structures specific to certain eras. In Africa, the practice has also found a place in different communities and traditional systems. In some countries, there are forms of legal or customary recognition of polygamous unions. In others, although civil law does not recognize polygamous marriage, certain communities continue to practice it according to their customary norms. In Mozambique, this reality makes the debate even more complex. The existence of polygamous practices in different communities does not mean that polygamous marriage has the same legal recognition as monogamous civil marriage. There is, therefore, an important difference between what society practices, what tradition recognizes, and what the law establishes. But this is where I start to question things. When a man takes on two or more women, what is really behind that decision? Is it culture? Is it religion? Is it love? Is it choice? Is it necessity? Or is it economic power? In certain communities, the polygamous man is seen almost as a figure of prestige. He is called a man with a capital H. He is associated with strength, the ability to support multiple families, and, in some cases, the idea of success. Someone who can maintain several wives, build houses, buy cars, provide good living conditions, and support multiple households can be seen as powerful. But does having financial resources automatically transform a practice into a free and dignified choice? This is one of the questions I consider fundamental. Traditionally, there is not necessarily a rigid set of requirements for a man to become polygamous. In certain communities, the consent of the first wife, family recognition, and the ability to assume material and social responsibilities may be sufficient for a new union to be integrated into the family unit. There are situations in which the first wife herself participates in the selection, organization of the traditional wedding, reception, and integration of the new woman. To an outsider, this may seem strange. To those who live within that culture, it may represent normality. And here another question arises: did this woman truly choose this, or did she simply learn to accept it? We cannot be held responsible for her actions. It is precisely at this point that the discussion about polygamy needs to abandon hasty judgments. Not every woman who accepts a polygamous relationship is a victim, just as not every woman who rejects polygamy is rejecting her culture. People make different choices for different reasons. The problem begins when the choice ceases to be truly free. A woman who agrees to share her husband because she desires that type of relationship is exercising a choice. A woman who agrees because she is financially dependent on him, because she fears losing her children, because she lacks the means to support herself, or because family pressure prevents her from saying no, finds herself in a completely different situation.

2025/12/3