The Internet Revolution and Marriage Traditions

Since its introduction in Senegal, the internet has constantly being revolutionizing
socio cultural habits, thereby sparkling fierce debates between the old and the young generation.The debate has been particularly intense of late with the mushrooming of “cyber marriages” considered by some as being a serious blow to the sacred practice of marriage.

Cyber marriage is a neologism coined by the youth in Dakar, the capital, to describe an encounter through the internet that ends up in a classic wedding. "In cyber circles, cyber marriages are increasingly gaining grounds as the latest thing. The internet has become the fashionable way to find a partner in Dakar" explains Gaby Djivo, manager of the Metissacana cyber cafe.

Djivo explains that as far as girls are concerned, chatting which involves a real time conversation through the internet with partners from all over the world, often ends up in unforeseen situations such as mutual visits, friendly relationships or even marriages.

Sabrina Ndiaye a young Senegalese student just celebrated her marriage with a young French man. Sabrina's marriage is a bit unusual for everything was done virtually before being made concrete. According to Sabrina the way you meet your partner do not matter much, provided the relationship is sincere and honest. She explains that before her husband
had made up his mind to come to Senegal too marry her, they have been in constant touch for a year. "At the end of the period much affinity developed between us and then we succumbed to the love that is keeping us together today she said.

There are countless cyber marriages in Senegal these days. Mami Sene a young Senegalese top model and Peter Shaw a young Irishman have met through the internet. They got married thanks to the relationship they kept through the internet. Besides the couple recognize the major role played by the internet in their relationship. "Not only am I happy of having met my wife in a cyber cafe and having made a proposal of marriage to her, through the internet, but I find it very original" Shaw confessed.

In Dakar "cyber seduction" is also a topic for discussion. " It is very effective if ones knows how to use it. It does require some skills to seduce a man. The manner of communication through the internet, the kind of photo to send, the quantity of love messages constitute a good deal of seduction" Séne committed.Meetings through the internet are considered by youngsters as a normal attitude which allows closeness and a n interaction between people. However, that is not the case with the over whelming majority of parents, who consider this new behaviour as outrageous.

"Marriage is a very sacred relationship, which has its laws and rules that should not be regarded as common. Never will I agree with my children, mainly the girls to get married in that way" Thioro Sall, a computer expert said. " Sometimes, meeting through websites are traps for girls. They are attracted to be integrated into a prostitution system" she asserted.

Oumar Ba, a teacher, considers cyber marriages as a real wound to social and cultural African values. "This kind of marriage is not part of our ancestral practices more especiallyas those marriages can only be based on plans (selfish motives) mainly for young girls who want to flee the society to go and live abroad" he said.

Yet cyber marriages do not succeed to break the very rigid religious barriers that surrounds conventional marriages in Senegal. Sabrina explains that most Muslims families are less severe if the virtual suitor practices the same religion but they are against any kind of union if the suitor is of another religion.

As for Seydou Sow, Imam of a mosque in Dakar meeting ones partner through the internet is not really a problem. "In our traditional societies, nowadays, the young girls very often, obliges to marry a man she had neither met nor known before. But what is important is to respect muslim laws that direct the act and the celebration of the marriage", Sow explained. In the case of the muslim religion, Ndour insist on the fact that the man or woman must peremptorily be muslims. They have to attest religiously to the marriage through the instrumentality of an Imam before witnesses and have the benediction of their parents and families.According to some research work, cyber marriages become more and more frequent because of the international conjuncture which is characterised by a revolution in technology.

"In a universal and global world this social phenomenon becomes normal for it fits in the framework of cultural exchanges imposed by the context"" Muhammed Chabi said, a Tunisian anthropologist and research specialist in Sub Saharan Africa. Chabi believes that cyber marriages are normal practices since they can have the successes of failures as traditional marriages.Officially there has been no expression of objection by the Senegalese government about the phenomenon and many youngsters hope that the vision conference which allows several persons to speak and to see each other on a real time could some day permit them to celebrate