Liberia 



<♦- 



the music will consist chiefly of drum-beating, flute or trumpet 

 playing, and loud singing. 



Among the peoples ot Western Liberia, the CListom prevails 

 of the bride's mother leading the bride to her husband's hut 

 whilst the revelry is at its height. She then retires outside. 

 The hut is surrounded by other women, triends of the bride, 

 who keep up a loud singing, which is supposed to drown 

 any whimper of the newly wedded girl at the introduction 

 into matrimony. After an interval the mother-in-law asks 

 through the doorway or some crevice in the walls if all is 

 well, and the bridegroom replies that everything is satisfactory, 

 unless he should have reason to doubt the virginity of his 

 spouse : in which case (it is stated by Biittikofer) he replies 

 in emphatic terms that all is not well, and the marriage feast 

 wouki in such circumstances be broken up, to be followed 

 by a violent wrangle as to the rejection of the bride by her 

 husband, and the return of the purchase-money. 



It is very improbable — at any rate at the present day — that 

 when matters have proceeded as far as this any reclamation 

 is made or any other answer given than the stereotyped " It 

 is well," because the practice of unmarried girls, after puberty, 

 receiving the attentions of lovers who do not necessarily become 

 their husbands is increasing, and for many years it has been 

 recorded amongst the customs of the Vai, Mandingo, and 

 Kpwesi.^ It was formerly an article in the moral code of 

 Western Liberia (at any rate), as in Eastern Africa or Zululand 

 that any amount of immorality might be practised with the 

 unmarried women by their lovers provided that virginity 



' As regards sexual intercourse, this sometimes begins before the girl is 

 mature. In many parts of the country the custom of ignoring chastity on the 

 part of girl-children or unmarried women obtains. In some districts it is thought 

 a shameful thing for an unmarried woman to have a child, though she may openly 

 receive attentions from an acknowledged lover without loss of respect. 



1040 



