RUAHA CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY

The dichotomy between the traditional and modern views about issues of life is not uncommon in the African context. Since the missionaries arrived in the African soil, their attitude towards African traditional beliefs and practices were vivid. This missionary attitude marked the dichotomy between the traditional and the new views about various beliefs and practices in Africa. The main issue tackled by this article concerns the way in which the two views are articulated in the context of marriage and widowhood. Issues of widow inheritance, widow cleansing, widows‟ ownership of wealth and widows relationship with the diseased husband‟s relatives have been the focus to discuss widowhood practices in relation to the old and new views. Using the empirical data obtained through qualitative conversational interviews conducted in three places of Tanzania: Mabadaga, Njombe and Ukerewe in Tanzania between March and April, 2021. This article argues that the dichotomy between the old and new perceptions about marriage and widowhood are the sources of contradictions in societies because they propose different practices because each wants to convince society of being on the right path. The culture from both old and new views should be used to enhance the dignity of humanity not humanity being used to promote the dignity of culture.

Old and New Views, Widow Inheritance, Widow Cleansing, Widows and Wealth and Qualitative Conversational Interviews