In discussing the Mambila-speaking people C.K. Meek says: "The term Mambila is stated generally to have been conferred by the Fulani. But this can hardly be accepted. The Mambila themselves pronounce the word Mabila, which is probably a variant of Mbula, a common tribal title in Nigeria and meaning The Men'- [1]. However, another fieldworker Farnham Rehfisch says that most of his informants said that "the name Mambila was given them by the Fulani in the past and perhaps the origin of the term, was Fulani, but it might have been given them by some other tribe. The Mambila pronounce the word Mambila' and not Mabila' [2]. As we can see a disagreement begins with such basic thing as the name, which suggested to me that there would be many more.
First aspect of Mambila's life I want to discus is marriage. There used to be three types of marriage; a) marriage by purchase, also known as marriage by bride price, b) marriage by exchange, and c) slave marriage, which little is known about. Today, only marriage by purchase is practiced because the European Administration has abolished slavery and exchange marriage was prohibited [2]. I am going to describe the three types, but before doing so I would like to cite the traditional prohibitions applicable to both marriages:.
1. A man may not marry any woman with whom he shares a known ancestor. 2. It is not allowed for a man to be married to two siblings at the same time. 3. A man must not marry a woman who has been previously wed to a younger kinsman. 4. There is no explicit rule forbidding close male kin to marry into the same households, but it is deemed inadvisable to do so. .
5. To marry a woman older than oneself is said to be dangerous, for the vaginal secretions of an older woman injure a man younger than herself.
a) Marriage by purchase. .
This form of marriage reminds me of a "Bride Market of Imilhil- that we have seen in class.
