Arranged Marriages in Other Cultures

Modernization has influenced arranged marriage practices in India, but modernization has also spread arranged marriage practices to other parts of the world. Due to modernization, certain practices and aspects of arranged marriage are being seen in other cultures. There are aspects of arranged marriages in India that are apparent in other cultures around the world. Though most commonly in eastern based cultures, western cultures are beginning to adopt certain arranged marriages practices as well.

 

This image represents marriage in India. 

 

Arranged Marriages: In Eastern Based Cultures 

The tradition of arranged marriage is currently commonly found in eastern-based cultures. The arranged marriages in other cultures are still considered arranged but the processes are different. Not including Indian cultures, eastern cultures that arranged marriages are most common in the countries of Japan, China, and Pakistan.

Japan:

In Japan, over 30% of the marriages are arranged marriages. Arrange marriages in Japan have a much different process than in Indian, In Japan, a formal match maker will initiate a potential match. Then, it is up to the potential bride and groom to meet up and decide if they would be a good match. For the first meeting the parents are always present, and then the potential couple will continue to meet without their parents to determine if they are a good match (Japanese Arranged Marriage ).

 

This is an image of an arranged marriage meeting in Japan.

 

China:

China has been moving away from the arranged marriage trend due to communism in urban areas, but arranged marriage practices are still apparent in rural areas. Arranged marriages in China are very different from arranged marriages in other countries. In China, a bride and groom will choose each other to be married, and after the family will take over. One set of parents will investigate the reputation, status, and lineage of the other’s family and vice versa. Also, the parents of the bride will ask the parents of the groom questions to ensure that their daughter will be treated well. If at any time the parents of one family are not happy with the background of the other family, the wedding will not happen and will be called off (Chinese Arranged Marriage ).

 

This is an image of a Chinese couple trying to make a good impression on one of their parents.

 

Pakistan: 

Most of the Pakistan population follows arranged marriage practice. This is because of the Sharia Law in Pakistan that doesn’t allow women to marry without parental consent.  This arranged marriage is based upon Islamic teachings in the Quran that requires fathers to protect their daughters. This has caused arranged marriage to be heavily practiced. The Hindu majority in India and Muslim Majority in Pakistan are very similar since in both cultures arranged marriages are the normal practice of marriage. There are two types of arranged marriages in Pakistan. One type is when parents agree to marry off their children when they born. The other type of arranged marriage is when families agree to exchange brides between two families, but in order for this to happen families must have a son to marry off as well (Pakistani Arranged Marriage ).

 

This is a Pakistani couple on their wedding day.

Relating India Marriage Practices to Eastern Countries 

Aspects of arranged marriage practices in India relate to and have spread to marriage practices in the Eastern cultures above. Although, the specific arranged marriage processes are different , certain values and aspects are similar. Japanese arranged marriage practices are similar to India’s because a meeting with the parents is crucial. In both processes parents of the potential spouses take part in the decision to get married, approval is necessary. In Chinese arranged marriages, qualities of each spouse is looked at like status, religion, income, etc. This is very similar to arranged marriages in India where certain qualities are also looked at when determining a spouse. For Pakistani arranged marriages, spouses need parental consent. Although this is more extreme, than modernized arranged marriage in India, parental consent is still involved. Through all arranged marriages across cultures there are similarities to be found relating them to each other.