ABSTRACT
Canyouimagineasituationinwhichanewlywedbridegroom wouldactuallyaskanothermantohavesexualintercoursewithhis bride?This,too,happenedattimesamongtheBakongo.Uponcompletionofthemarriageceremony,itwascustomaryforthevillage elderstoenterthehouseofthenewlywedcoupletomakesurethat everythingwasinorderand,mostimportantthatthebridegroom wasabletoconsummatethemarriage.Ifhewasunabletodoitthe marriagewasdissolved.Sometimes,toavoidshameandhumiliation, animpotenthusbandwouldfindasuitableyoungmanandpermit himtohavesexwithhiswife.Ifachildwasbornoutoftheirunion, thehusbandtreateditashisown.Asimilarcustomwaspracticedby thePlateautribesofnorthernZimbabwe.Asterileorimpotenthusbandwouldattimesaskhisbrothertohavesexinsecretwithhis wife,sothecouplecouldhaveachild.5Similarchoicesarebeing madetodayinourmodernWesternsociety;infertilewomenhave eggsdonatedbytheirsistersormothersratherthanhaveasurrogateovumdonor.
