The men at Obierika's are discussing the bride wealth and bride service. The broomsticks represent a symbolic ritual artifact commonly exchanged as part of the bride wealth. The amount of money the bride's family would receive as bride wealth can vary depending on the cultural group and the specific circumstances of the marriage.
The men at Obierika's are discussing the bride wealth and bride service. Bride wealth refers to the transfer of material and symbolic value from the groom's to the bride's family, which can involve money, goods, or even symbolic ritual artifacts. Bride service, on the other hand, involves the contracted labor of the groom for the bride's family either before or after the marriage. The broomsticks in the discussion represent a symbolic ritual artifact commonly exchanged as part of the bride wealth.
The amount of money the bride's family would receive as bride wealth can vary depending on the cultural group and the specific circumstances of the marriage. Traditionally, items like cows, copper gongs, silver earrings, and ceremonial clothing were exchanged as part of the bride wealth, but today more contemporary items like gold jewelry, cars, furniture, appliances, and land are offered. The specific amount of money exchanged would depend on the negotiations between the families involved.
The probable question may be from the passage "Things Fall Apart"