Autopsien des Alltäglichen
Sonntag, 21. November 2010
Traditional Wedding
Today was the big day. Not only for me, but as well for bride and groom up there in Kaduna. A traditional wedding took place and I was invited.

After most of the guest settled, it was time for the groom to show up.



Escorted by his friends he approached the area dancing. Meanwhile his parents and relatives already were there and had introduced themselves to the parents of the bride, claiming that they wanted to pick up the bride now. But this would not be Africa if it was that easy.

Arriving at the venue, the guests started blessing the groom by dropping money on him.



Still the bride was not his.
After having greeted his own parents, he had to show respect and dignity to the bride's parents.



Asking for his bride, him and his friends had to go down and be submissive to the parents-in-law. After that happened, the parents-in-law decided to bring their daughter.



Veiled and covered she was brought to the groom dancing, escorted by her best friends and family.



Her mother also was involved, handing the bride over to the groom.
After unveiling the bride and exchanging the rings the traditional handover of kitchen appliances took place. These presents are being donated by the brides parents to the bride and groom to give them the opportunity to start their own household immediately. The groom's parents in this case are obiged to donate yams, palm oil, rice and other food items, so that the couple can start their own life without break.
Having fulfilled their tasks, everybody will be served food and drinks now, also the couple, but as I spoke to them, they wanted to eat later. I wonder why.

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Thank you so much for this glimpse onto African tradition. Most of the readers here will - sadly - never have a chance see such a wedding in person, but they will at least get an idea of what it is like ....

On the other hand it shows the difference between our country and Nigeria as far as the 'duties' of guests and parents are concerned:
Over here people buy themselves out of any personal involvement ....

What a happy couple this is - let us know when the first child is born so we can figure out whether your assumption was valid ....

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