Faculty & Centre

This paper explores the unique experiences of individuals within polygamous families, specifically from the lens of the offspring – a viewpoint not commonly considered before making decisions to enter this arrangement. Drawing on interviews with eight Malay Muslim Bruneians, this study provides insight into the significance of family cohesion on the lives of half-siblings. Relations between half-siblings are heavily influenced by other family members, namely the father’s fairness and the mother’s acceptance. Although there is a spectrum in the level of cohesion between half-siblings, there is no denying that polygamy brings with it significantly more negative effects than positive ones on the participants’ lives regarding their social development, interpersonal relations, financial stability, and academic performance. This extends the current studies on such families in Brunei and documents how the offspring within polygamous families navigate their way through living in a non-conventional family structure.