Editing Levirate marriage (section)

==Africa==

=== Central African Republic ===
Levirate marriage is commonly practiced among [[Gula People|Goula]] who mostly live in northern part of [[Central African Republic]].<ref>{{cite report|author=UNICEF Mendiguren|date=September 2012|title=Etude anthropologique de l'organisation sociale et politique des communautés en Centrafrique et des organisations à assise communautaire |url=http://grupodeestudiosafricanos.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/MENDIGUREN-2012-Dynamiques-Communautaires-RCA-UNICEF.pdf|page=408|access-date= 28 March 2023}}</ref> 

===Cameroon===
Among the [[Mambila]] of northern [[Cameroon]], in regard to "Inheritance of wives: both levirates are practised throughout the tribe".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://lucy.ukc.ac.uk/dz/Archive/ethnology.html |title=D. A. Percival 1 xi 35, ''Notes on Dr Meek's Report'' on "Mambila Tribe" (page numbers refer to K. C. Meek : ''Tribal Studies'', 1929, Vol. 1), Pp542-3 |access-date=2009-01-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201055959/http://lucy.ukc.ac.uk/dz/Archive/ethnology.html |archive-date=2009-02-01 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Kenya===
As among the [[Maragoli]] of western [[Kenya]],<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MHHGN6Qqf6QC&pg=PA100|title=Culture and Human Development|first=Jaan|last=Valsiner|date=February 2, 2000|publisher=SAGE|isbn=9780761956846 |via=Google Books}}</ref> likewise "in the [[Luo peoples|Luo]] case widows become mostly remarried to the deceased husband's brother".<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MHHGN6Qqf6QC&pg=PA99|title=Culture and Human Development|first=Jaan|last=Valsiner|date=February 2, 2000|publisher=SAGE|isbn=9780761956846 |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Potash, Betty.|title=Wives of the grave : widows in a rural Luo community|oclc=920988918}}</ref>

In the highlands of Kenya, it is "[[Nandi people|Nandi]] custom for a widow to be 'taken over' ... by a brother ... of her deceased husband."<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CwChAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA77|title=Widows in African Societies: Choices and Constraints|first=Betty|last=Potash|date=February 1, 1986|publisher=Stanford University Press|isbn=9780804766562 |via=Google Books}}</ref> "According to customary law, it is tantamount to adultery for a widow to be sexually involved with a man other than a close agnate of her late husband."<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CwChAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA78|title=Widows in African Societies: Choices and Constraints|first=Betty|last=Potash|date=February 1, 1986|publisher=Stanford University Press|isbn=9780804766562 |via=Google Books}}</ref>

===Nigeria===
In some parts of [[Nigeria]], it is a common practice for a woman to marry her late husband's brother if she had children. This enabled the children to retain the father's family identity and inheritance. Although less common today, it is still practiced:
{{blockquote|
Levirate marriage is considered a custom of the [[Yoruba people|Yoruba]], the [[Igbo people|Igbo]], and the [[Hausa-Fulani]] ... . ... levirate marriages ... are commonest among the [I]gbo ... . ... Under customary law among the Yoruba, ... A brother or son of the deceased husband ... was traditionally allowed to inherit the widow as a wife ... . The inheritance of the youngest wife of the deceased by the eldest son ... continues to be practiced in Yoruba land ... . ... Under Igbo customary law, ... a brother or son of the deceased Igbo husband ... was traditionally allowed to inherit the widow as a wife. Levirate marriage is also considered in the tradition of the [[Urhobo people]], a major ethnic group in the Delta State.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://webarchive.archive.unhcr.org/20250331132404/https://www.refworld.org/docid/45f1478811.html|title=UNHCR Web Archive|website=webarchive.archive.unhcr.org}}</ref>}}

===Somalia===
In [[Somalia]], levirate marriage is practiced and is called ''Dumaal'', and provisions are made under Somali [[customary law]] or ''[[Xeer]]'' with regard to [[bride price]] (''yarad''). The widow is usually given a choice in the matter. In the past few decades since the start of the [[Somali Civil War]], this type of marriage has fallen out of favor due to strict Islamic interpretations that have been imported to Somalia.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Anderson |first=James Norman Dalrymple |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j5Rb6Mwd3zoC&dq=%22islamic+levirate%22&pg=PA46 |title=Islamic Law in Africa |date=1970 |publisher=Psychology Press |isbn=978-0-7146-1905-7 |language=en}}</ref>

===South Sudan===
{{main|Ghost marriage (Sudanese)}}
Levirate marriages are very common among South Sudan's [[Nilotic peoples]], especially among the [[Dinka]] and [[Nuer people]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Beswick|first=Stephanie|title="We Are Bought Like Clothes": The War Over Polygyny and Levirate Marriage in South Sudan|journal=Northeast African Studies|year=2001|volume=8|issue=2|pages=35–61|doi=10.1353/nas.2005.0023|pmid=17500126|s2cid=28995754|url=http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/nas/summary/v008/8.2beswick.html|access-date=11 December 2011|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

An alternate form, the ghost marriage, occurs when a [[groom]] dies before marriage. The deceased groom is replaced by his brother who serves as a stand in to the bride; any resulting children are considered children of the deceased spouse.<ref>{{cite web|title=Marriage Rules: Part II Unusual Marriage Arrangements|url=http://anthro.palomar.edu/marriage/marriage_4.htm|access-date=11 December 2011|date=June 29, 2006}}</ref>

===Zimbabwe===
In [[Zimbabwe]], levirate marriage is practiced amongst the [[Shona people]], and provisions are made under Zimbabwe [[customary law]], with regard to [[bride price]] (''roora''). The widow is usually given a choice in the matter, as well as the widower. In the past few decades, this type of marriage has fallen out of favor due to increased rural-to urban migration as well as improved literacy for women and girls.