Final answer:
Polygamy, specifically polygyny, is the practice of a man marrying multiple women and is common in some African societies. It serves both social and economic purposes, such as increasing the labor force and enhancing social status.
Step-by-step explanation:
The marriage tradition where a man can marry more than one woman simultaneously is known as polygamy, more specifically, polygyny. This is a socially sanctioned union that often reflects various societal factors such as status, population distributions, and cultural practices. In many societies, especially those in Central and Western Africa, polygyny is not uncommon and serves multiple social and economic purposes, including increasing labor for farming and creating broad kinship networks.
In such societies, each wife typically maintains her household, and the husband either visits or resides with each wife in succession. Larger families garnered through polygyny are often associated with higher social status and stronger political and economic alliances. While polygamy is predominantly practiced in the form of polygyny globally, it is vital to acknowledge the difference with polyandry, which is a woman married to more than one man, and is exceedingly rare in comparison.