ガーナ：63歳と12歳の結婚

　いやまあ流石に12歳だと幼すぎ、結婚年齢とはみなせない。そりゃあ地元でも非難の声が渦巻くわけである。

BBC Outrage as traditional Ghanaian priest, 63, marries 12-year-old girl 2 days ago
By Gloria Aradi & Favour Nunoo

　しかし男性側がtraditional priestということで、一応とはいえ話は微妙に食い違ってくる点がないでもない。cutomary ceremonyと言われると、儀礼的な式であって、実際のところはどうか―とちょっと思わなくもない。

「An influential traditional priest aged 63 has sparked an outrage in Ghana by marrying a 12-year-old girl.

The priest, Nuumo Borketey Laweh Tsuru XXXIII, married her in a customary ceremony held on Saturday.

In the face of criticism, community leaders have said people do not understand their customs and tradition.

The legal minimum age to get married in Ghana is 18 and the prevalence of child marriage has declined, but it continues to happen.」

　まあどっちみち、結婚年齢は18歳だそうで。そりゃあ非難されますが。児童結婚は最近、かなり低調であるようですが。

「According to the global campaigning NGO Girls Not Brides,19% of girls in the country are married before they reach 18 and 5% get married before their 15th birthday.」

　が、伝統的な立場からは、そもそももう六年も前から結婚のコースに入っていたといい―許嫁という概念ではちょっと把握しかねる何ものかが介入している。

「Nii Bortey Kofi Frankwa II, a local community leader, said on Sunday that the girl's role as the priest's wife is "purely tradition and custom".

He added that the girl started the rites to become the priest's wife six years ago, but the process did not interfere with her education.

The girl is expected to undergo a second customary ceremony to purify her for her new role as the wife of the high priest. The ceremony will also prepare her for marital responsibilities such as childbearing, local media reported.」

　…最終的にはどっちみち妊娠してもらわにゃならんという、そういう通常の結婚に連なる属性もあるわけですが。ちょっとこれは評価が難しい。が、現代世界に通用の価値観からは、どうしても褒められたもんじゃないという評価は付いて回る。

　…高位聖職者の妻として、亜神のような扱いを受けるとかだと微妙さは増すんですが。この場合はどうなんでしょうね。