By Elimu Assistant Team 
the reason why courtship was an important aspect of traditional African marriage
- It helps in the identification of suitable marriage partners
- The two families involved in marriage negotiations ( of the boy and girl) established a relationship/ familiarization
- The boy and girl had the opportunity to learn from one another and their families
- Offered the opportunity to check/ establish whether the two people ( boy and girl) are related. Near kin to each other
- Offered the opportunity to establish whether the two people came from marriageable clans/ families
- Cemented/ strengthened the relationship between the two families through the exchange of gifts mutual visits sharing of food and drink
- Gave the two families time to negotiate for dowry
- Gave time to the family of the young man to look for and pay a dowry or part of it.
- Gave the two families time to arrangements
- Gave time to the girl and boy to be instructed in family life education/ prepare them for a marriage relationship
- Boys and girls were instructed on their duties responsibilities/ privileges in the community
- Gave time to establish whether the boy and girl weren’t for marriage e.g. on virginity, impotency, infertility, frigidity (not marriage but courtship)
