Marriage Etiquette

Only a small percentage of marriages in Gabon are legal. To legalize a marriage, it must be done at the mayor's office in a city, which is rare. Women prefer men who can provide for them, whereas men prefer women who will bear children and keep their homes.

The family frequently has a significant influence on the choice of a marriage partner in Gabon. Girls are occasionally promised at a young age, but the wedding does not take place until after puberty. When the couple gets engaged and marries, the groom is expected to give gifts to the bride's family known as dot. To avoid marrying relatives, Gabonese generally marry within their ethnic group but mostly outside of their village.

Before marriage, a woman may be encouraged to have one or two children to demonstrate her fertility; these children are frequently raised by the woman's mother. However, in a marriage, the children are the fathers. If the couple divorces, the husband takes custody of the children. The wife would have nothing if she did not have premarital children. Divorce is rare, but not unheard of. Marriages can sometimes be business transactions, though some couples marry for love.