POLYGYNY in New York, USA - Part II

President Zuma of South Africa and his three wives

While a good number of these polygamous families are living together in small apartments in the Bronx with many children with incidences of domestic violence and conflict among the co-wives, there are a few noted families that do not fit this description. There are those who live in the suburbs whose husbands are wealthy enough to keep a happy set of co-wives and their children, providing for all their  basic needs.

Although Islam allows a man to have up to four wives, polygyny in Africa is a cultural practice that crosses religious lines and men tend to have more than four wives. Having multiple wives indicates a mans wealth and is also a strong indicator of his virility as well as need for sexual satisfaction. Most of the wealthy men in Africa own large pieces of land and the family was a way of reducing labor costs. It is also important to point out that in a culture where infant mortality is ridiculously high, polygyny assures the continuation of the man's family.

The immigrant community in New York may want to continue the practices from their home countries but the set back is that the men have no assets for the multiple children to inherit. They are unable to provide the basic necessities for their families forcing them to lean on welfare and therefore tax-payers. A number of these families have migrated to the United States as polygamous families but since the U.S. does not recognize this marital status, only one wife gets the visa or green-card. The other co-wives are, therefore, undocumented illegal aliens and God-forbid if they fall out of favor with their husbands and are divorced, they are vulnerable to deportation.

While researching this story, I came across a video of an interview done by ABC TV on the same issue but this time the people practicing polygyny are African American (see below). This then begs the question; how many other polygamous marriages are in the United States outside of the Mormon communities?

POLYGYNY in New York, USA - Part I

Yes, polygyny is rampantly being practiced in New York and yes, it is illegal in the United States but hardly prosecuted. Unlike the Mormons in Utah who overtly live out this life style, the West African immigrant population in New York live quietly under these arrangements.

What exactly is polygyny and what is the difference (if any) between polygyny, polygamy and polyandry? According to Webster's dictionary polygyny is the "state of having more than one wife or female mates at one time".  Polygamy is "marriage in which a spouse of either sex may have more than one mate at the same time". Polyandry is the "state or practice of having more than one husband or male mate at one time". More often than not polygamy is used when referring to polygyny.

In a couple of previous blogs in June 2011, I discussed/presented the argument that polygamy (more so polygyny) made economic sense - at least in many of the developing countries particularly in Africa. In New York, however, this practice does not only make no economic sense it make NO SENSE at all.

Aminata Kante left her husband after he took a second wife.
Source: Shiho Fukada of the New York Times

Most of these men who are taking up more than one wife can hardly take care of the one they have and the children. Many fall in the low-income bracket and taking up additional wives makes their financial obligations more challenging. Yet, the men have no problem taking up another young girl and having her bear more children for him. Some of the women advocate for this practice arguing that it is an acceptable and required African practice. Those who reject and fight are in the minority and suffer harshly both within their communities in New York and among their relatives in their home countries.

According to Nina Bernstein of the New York Times, it is not known how prevalent polygyny is in New York because it is kept as a secret by those who practice it. Under immigration law, polygamy is grounds for deportation and exclusion from the United States.  The problem becomes more complex because some men have one wife in the United States and others abroad... much like President Barack Obama's father who had wives in Kenya, Finland and the United States.

Contd ... Part II