If you’re about to marry a Luhya lady,be prepared to pay this dowry:
- Money for the “esiimiko” = 50k (variable)
- Money for compensating your mother-in-law’s breasts = 50k (variable).
- Bride price: 13 head of cattle on hoof (13th one is for the girl’s maternal uncle), one goat for escorting the cattle and another goat for parternal aunt, an unspecified amount of money (usually in hundred thousands determined by clan), a blanket for girl’s maternal grandmother and loose change to placate aunts who usually appear on the scene at awkward moments meant to stretch the groom’s tolerance levels.
- You will be expected to assist in fee payments for the girl’s brothers and sisters. This is not supposed to be recorded anywhere because it is support to the family.
- Your respect for mother-in-law will be second to your respect for God. When you happen to meet her in town by accident, you do serious shopping for her and give her some money for fare. This should range from 1k onwards depending on various factors that should be clear to both parties (like you gave her 10k two days ago, for example).
- If both girl’s parents are still alive, you should keep two head of cattle on standby for slaughter during their funeral and that should never be a point of negotiation
