We have spoken of marriage as a formal contract.It should be noted, however, that this contract does not 1 the same form in different societies.In Western societies, the 2 of a man and a woman 3 given the status of legal marriage by being registered by an official 4 by the state.In some African so cieties, 5 , marriage has nothing to do 6 an official registration of this kind but is legalized by the formal 7 of goods.Generally 8 is the bridegroom who is required to make a 9 of goods to the bride's kin(亲戚), though sometimes a payment is 10 made by the bridegroom's kin to that of the bride.

    Among the Nuer, a 11 living in Southern Sudan, the payment made to the bride's kin, 12 as bridewealth, is in the 13 of cattle.Once the 14 of bridewealth is agreed 15 , and the formal payment is made, the marriage becomes a 16 union and the offspring of the union become the acceptable 17 of the husband.They remain 18 children even 19 the wife subsequently leaves him to live with 20 man.