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Polygamy Essay

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Polygamy
Introduction
Polygamy the practice or condition of having more than one spouse, especially wife, at one time. Polygamy has existed in all over the African continent thanks to the fact that it represents an aspect of their culture and religion. These types of marriages have been more present in the whole history of Africa like no other continent in the world.
Main section
Tradition

Even if people are thinking about the fact that South Africa is by far one of the most developed countries in the region, there are still many traditionalists out there that are constantly practicing polygamy. Even the president of South Africa: Jacob Zuma is declaring openly that he agrees with plural marriages and he is currently married to 3 wives. And at the same time he has 20 children with these and the two previous wives that he had in the past.
Anthropologists suggest that the reasons for, or functions of, polygamy include the following. • Increase the probability of children, particularly when a wife is barren or gives birth to female children only. Increase the labour supply within a kinship network. • Deal with the “problem” of surplus women. • Expand the range of a man 's alliances so he is able to maintain or acquire a position of leadership. • Perhaps provide sexual satisfaction to men, particularly in societies with lengthy post-partum sexual taboos (Macfarlane 1986: 217-221; Mair 1971: 152-153).
In Zulu culture, "every family member must work for the betterment of

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