The Kuria tribe is not as big as the Masaai of East Africa, but they have a rich and fascinating culture.
They are found along the borders of Kenya and Tanzania, particularly in the Tarime, Musoma, Bunda and Serengeti districts of the Mara region in Northern Tanzania, and the west and east districts of Nyanza Province in southwest Kenya.
They are mainly into farming. Kuria people in eastern African have various customs such as circumcision for b
oth s*xes, however, we will focus on an unusual one – women marrying women.
The women of the Kuria tribe are allowed to marry each other, but for a specific reason. It has nothing to do with romance. So what’s the purpose?
The unusual marriage custom makes it possible for a woman who cannot have her own children to still have a family. The married women are not required to wear rings as a symbol of marriage
and do not share the same bed too. In Tanzania, same-s*x marriage is illegal and, in recent times, gays have had to face the law.
The marriage between two women is a unique Kuria custom called nyumba ntobhu – “house of women”. The tradition allows an older widow who does not have any male descendants to marry a younger woman who does have or will potentially have a son. That way, the son will inherit the older woman’s land, and ensure that her lineage does not fade away.
Over time, the Nyumba Ntobhu became more common as the Kuria population grew. Mugosi Maningo and Anastasia Juma got married in June 2015, and say their union has given them more autonomy over their lives. Ms Juma said her previous husb
and treated her “like a slave” when she was married at the age of 13.
“I didn’t trust men after that,” she said. “I certainly didn’t want another husband. Marrying a woman seemed the best solution.”
