“You want to marry a Sudanese lady? You must have cows; look I am marrying my second wife today- I can only afford twenty two cows." These are the words of Deng Majok, a tall slender, soft spoken man in his twenties-

By Isaac Sagala

"Her family needs more", he continues. "My relatives have to donate some more cows so I can marry again.” Deng is a trader by proffession; resident of Maluakon, a village tucked in the northern Bahr el Ghazal region of the vast oil rich south Sudan.

I find him inspecting five cows, brought into his compound by relatives, one cow looks sickly; he looks at it and nods disapprovingly, the cow is herded away from the other four. He then motions at where about a dozen other cows are tethered, the new arrivals join the flock. Firm handshakes and fits of raucous laughter follow in rapid succession, soon they appear engrossed into deep animated chatter, briefly interrupted with spurts of intermittent laughter. It is not uncommon for relatives to support their kin with cattle in Sudan should he fall short of dowry.

I inch closer to Deng and his companions and he volleys rapidly “ Don’t ask me about Elections or the war; I don’t have much time today, It is my wedding day I have important things to do.” He quips almost dismissively when he notices me with my recording equipment. It is apparent that he has familiarized with what are considered staple Sudanese topics; fodder for many a journalist.

“Tell me about your big day!” I probe. He beams, and an enchanted smile slowly creases his face into an inspired chuckle. He tells me that they are taking the cows to the father of the would-be bride.

Debate is being generated in parts of South Sudan as to whether the age old costly polygamy tradition should still be embraced or get discarded, now that the number of cows is dwindling and Sudan is recovering from years of stagnation. Many are getting access to education after decades of civil war ravaged the country. Some of the legendary Lost Boys of Sudan who were relocated overseas have campaigned against the practise. However, reluctance to discard polygamy is rife.

“Most men are polygamous here, for every wife; you are charged between 10 to 100 cows, depending on your wealth or beauty and education of the brides. I wanted to marry just two ( wives)but I fear the jest; they will call me poor. The more the wives and children the more the respect and prestige, the governer here has 43 wives. He is rich, he can boast . We cultivate, do business, some of us are officers getting money for cows. Wives are expensive. After I pay the bride price today, I will have to look for more cows to get another wife next year, because it makes people respect me...” Deng says.

The average cow costs 242 eruo ($300). Way above the average Sudanese’s monthly income.