Abstract
This paper analyzes the case of the “fostering” custom called ri'ko among the Hausa in northern Nigeria, and discusses how, in addition to the biological parents, “foster parents” can be crucial parent figures for a child’s growth. Recently, multiple parents-child relationships, including non-biological relationships, are being discussed in kinship studies. However, the roles and characters of multiple parents may not be clearly pointed out yet. Among the Hausa, the relationship between biological parents and their child is officially guaranteed. Instead, “foster parents” traditionally behave as “guardians” with all responsibilities for the “foster child,” and biological parents respect what “foster parents” do. In the present, because of expenses for schooling and modern medical treatment, it is hard for some “foster parents” to take all responsibilities for their “foster child.” However “foster parents” manage and keep their pride with some kind of support from biological parents. The Hausa case in which “foster parents” and biological parents exist together as parents of a child is illustrative of multiple parents-child relationships in which each pair of parents is important.
