Description:
This dissertation was about the influence of the Roman Catholic Church to the
Sukuma traditional marriages in Magu district from 1950s to 2000s. The specific
objectives were to explore the Sukuma traditional marriages before and after the
Roman Catholic Church in Magu district, to examine how the Roman Catholic Church
changed the Sukuma marriage institution in Magu district from 1950s to 2000s and to
examine the challenges faced the Sukuma in Christian marriage in Magu district from
1950s to 2000s.
The study used qualitative research approach and a single case study research design.
Snow ball and purposive sampling techniques were employed to get the sample for the
study. The study also used interview, archival sources and documentary review as the
methods for data collection.
The findings revealed that the Roman Catholic Church has influenced the Sukuma
traditional marriages as they were able to make a great effort on somehow changing
the Sukuma mind set towards Christian marriage. The number of the Sukuma going
for Christian marriage kept on increasing from 1950s to 2000s. Also, the church has
imposed changes on Sukuma tradition such as the reduction of bride wealth, reduced
the rate of polygamy and free selection of marriage partners.
Therefore, the dissertation shows that the Sukuma responded positively on the
imposition of Roman Catholic Church in Magu district since 1950s. This was because
the church tried to Africanized the liturgy so that to make the Sukuma accept to join
into the church. Hence the number of church members kept on increasing from 1950s
to 2000s.