Themes

The main themes of the short story “They Sold My Sister” by Leteipa Ole Sunkuliare are forced marriage and generational changes. Through this short story, the author draws attention to the cruelness of arranged marriages in Maasai tradition which force young girls to marry from a very young age, depriving them of their childhood and of education.

Forced marriage

The story explores traditional Maasai marriage customs according to which girls’ families are given a dowry by the groom’s family to confirm the marriage arrangement. The marriage arrangement is only made between the parents and the future bride has no power to influence the decision. In the story, Nyamalo (who is the narrator’s sister) is forced by her parents to marry a man from a rich family, at a very early age. The arrangement is made without the girl’s knowledge and agreement when she is young and still at school.

Although the girl clearly opposes the marriage, her parents have already made the decision for her. After the wedding, the girl refuses to have sexual relations with her husband, but she is eventually forced to, as he rapes her.

Then, the story shows how the same thing is about to happen to the narrator, at the age of 12. Naliki overhears her father beginning to make an arrangement with an older man who wants to marry her. Like her sister, the narrator does not want to get marr...