They are placed on top of these African bride and grooms heads, as a symbol of their new status as King and Queen of their new households. The four flavors present at the wedding represent different emotions in a relationship. In Burkina Faso, on the 7th day after the wedding, the Mossi (or Moagha) bride is supposed to cook the countrys traditional dish for her in laws. It is a changing culture which has adopted many other holidays and celebrations, but one that remains vibrant and diverse is the wedding union ceremony. Marriage between tribes and even religions is common. They then require money to return the items. Alexy is a Wedding Florist and Planner. This can be in the form of money or animals, cereals, kitchen utensils or clothes. The couple says their vows while being bound to affirm their commitment to each other. Among the Swahilis, the celebration may take two days to a week and involves other rituals like applying perfume on the bride and hairdressing. It involves the groom knocking on the door of the brides home and waiting to be allowed in. Indeed, at that time, they could not legally wed. Check out our west african wedding selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. If the womans family accepts his proposal, the representatives of the mans family meet with the girls family to decide on the dowry and set a date for breaking the kola nut. We're talking, of course, about a courtship dance. Thanks for sharing such a cool culture. This practice is also called Sanga Willi in the Dioula language, spoken in Burkina Faso, Mali and Cte dIvoire. Africa is rich in traditions and culture. Throughout Africa, it is strange for men to run off with women and get married. Also, its worth noting that conventional wedding events take place at the home of the grooms parents. If the girl is not interested, she will cover her head and he must leave immediately. You can read more about Oka (Okameo) and my other friends in the percussion group Toumaranke on their website. August 21, 2022; monica wedding bouquet The phrase jumping the broom therefore became synonymous with getting married.. Since my wife is a blend of two cultures, we decided to combine some traditions from her family's region with some western wedding traditions. It is an annual eight-day Zulu event that attracts loads of single ladies to participate in the event. Numerous ceremonies and rituals are normally performed over the period and at diverse locations. In Ethiopia, they wear elegant gowns and garments featuring a design that uses a fabric known as Habesha. If you are interested in telling stories in an impactful way to help shine a light on a particular issue, we encourage you to review our guidelines available at this link: Click Here. Henna 9. The bride will leave her home early in the morning, covered in a blanket. Tying the knot involves a respected member of the family wrapping a piece of cord, vine, or leather around a couple before saying their vows. Finally, a sweet spoonful of honey to show the joy in marriage. The two families exchange gifts and have a dance-off. But if she is interested, she will talk to him and give him a pendant as a token of her acceptance. West African cultures have rituals where the bride feeds the couple. I had given them an album with the promise of many photos to fill it to follow and theycould hardly have a wedding album without some pictures of the bride. Some trace it back to the Welsh-Romani gypsy communities in the 18th century. The Zulu traditional wedding (Umabo) takes place at the family home of the groom. African wedding ceremonies are special thanks to cultural rituals and traditions. Indeed, for some ethnic groups in Congo and not something to laugh or smile about. The courtship dance of the Wodaabe. See you soon for more brides and wedding tips! The brides family then replies to the letter by either confirming the set date or changing it to a date that they are more comfortable with. In addition, both the bride and groom may respond to the invocation as a way of accepting the blessing. These forms of attire are worn to integrate traditional African dress with modernized religious weddings. The honeymoon served as a hideaway for the couple. Colorful Prints With amazingly rich colors, African wedding dresses really capture the essence of the big day. After the wedding day, the husband had to drive her bride away so that her family would not find them. This is done to show the groom and his family that they cannot snatch their friend or sister so easily from the family. The traditional attire worn includes beadwork, anklets, bracelets, necklaces, and colourful. North Africa includes countries like Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia. Blogger @reunissouslebaobabgivesus a perfect demo in the image above, at her own wedding. Fredrick Ngugi. After various celebrations and ceremonies, the wedding is still regarded as not complete up until the wife has birthed two children. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022. Those ceremonies bring together the whole family, and allow each side to get to know each other. Their gorgeous bridal attire includes a Gele (headscarf), a Buba (a blouse), an Ipele (sash), and an Iro (a wrap floor-length skirt tied around the waist). According to custom, the wife takes the husband's religion. The Yoruba ethnic group (present in countries like Nigeria, Niger and Benin) have a wedding tradition called the, By tasting each of these flavors, the couple symbolically demonstrates that they will be able to overcome everything together. A marriage ceremony within the African Traditional Religious is normally considered as fundamental process for the whole community (Foster & Donald, 89-123). The Location: Charlotte, NC. A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. In Kenya, ornate beading has long been a cherished craft and is common in traditional African rings, particularly engagement rings. Things have changed, and Congolese weddings these days are full of happiness and smiles, from everyone involved. Tasting the four elements is another popular Yoruba ritual conducted in African wedding ceremonies. Look forward to hearing about the Latvian wedding. Ive never been to a wedding in any other religion but my own and would love to witness the different ways other cultures celebrate. I was very intrigued and excited to see a different cultural wedding ceremony. Marriage was often between families and marriage proposals were often made in 3 stages. Her father takes her to her new family home and on arrival, she walks around the house to be introduced to her husbands ancestors. If you click through and make a purchase, we'll earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you. It is only thanks to him thata school in The Gambia, that I helped raise funds to build, was ever finished, as when the project managers on the build pulled out, he stepped in. 4. Here are some of the most popular options at African American weddings. Choosing the Best Man and Maid of Honor. An African bride has a pampering day as well, with a little twist. The celebrationscontinue on into the early hours. Some communities in Kenya also conduct an engagement ceremony that involves the groom paying a dowry with traditional brews, cows, goats, honey, and green bananas. For couples planning their wedding day, moun, Finding the perfect wedding dress is one of the biggest (and toughest) decisions of the entire weddi, If youre looking for a beautiful, unique outdoor wedding venue, then a Japanese garden could. The couple had to jump over the broom without touching it to be married, according to the folklore scholar C.W. In Nigeria, applying henna on the bride is an integral part of the wedding ceremony. Sullivan III. On this day, the grooms family goes to the brides family to offer the negotiated bride price. Catholic African communities most commonly dress in western wedding attire (white dress for women and a suit for men) for the religious ceremony and will utilize their communities' traditional attire for other phases of the marriage process. The bride is supposed to taste the drink first, before, This practice is especially popular in West Africa regions and involves a ceremonial uniform cloth known as, Although the fabric is the same, women usually, Youve likely heard the saying that marriage is not a bed of roses? They later give it to the newlyweds. On this day, the grooms family goes to the brides family to offer the negotiated bride price. These nuts were used for medicinal purposes in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Nigeria. First, a man asked a girl to marry him. Photo above used with the permission of, Like most African wedding ceremonies, a South African wedding is vibrant with color, culture, music, and dancing. 0. Photo above used with the permission of Trystan Photography. Make sure to take advantage of our, Otherwise, thanks a lot for reading our blog post, and feel free to contact us on any questions you might have! Henna is also a common custom in Indian weddings. How fascinating, its such an honour to get an insight into the rituals or another culture (and love the outfits!). I wasn't sure what to expect as this was my first invite to a non-west African wedding. An Armenian best man is referred to as the "kavor" or godfather, and grooms choose their kavor based on trust and respect. Im really glad you got some of them in their finery. Traditionally, the couple would pick the sticks from any tree that was on the family property. They were usually gone for about a month. If everything goes well, the bride comes in to give her final consent as to whether or not she wants to marry the man. There you have it, some of the most interesting African wedding traditions practiced in various parts of the continent. In Niger, the Hausa and Tuaregs communities also apply henna to symbolize purity and fertility. When it comes to Dominican Republic wedding ceremonies, the Spanish aspects shine through. What a wonderful treat to be able to attend and be part of a wedding in a different culture fantastic! The caffeine-packed nut grows on a big tree, in tropical forests in West Africa. Childrenbring out plastic chairs and line them up against the walls. The brides family then replies to the letter by either confirming the set date or changing it to a date that they are more comfortable with. None of the bones must make it back to the brides dads house, to avoid bad luck for the newlyweds. This page may contain affiliate links. A popular African wedding tradition especially in West Africa is to spray money on the bride, There you have it, some of the most interesting African wedding traditions practiced in various parts of the continent. Cabinet d'orthodontie Lac 2. What a beautiful wedding, so colorful and your photos are stunning! Wrapping their hands together is to bind them together in matrimony in other cultures, this is called handfasting. I step out of the taxi onto the dusty lane, in a village much like any other in The Gambia; the roadshere arejust dirt tracks lined with thecrumbling walls and ramshackle fences that mark outeach familys plot of land or compound as they are known. The white wedding happens the following day in the church. However, in African wedding traditions, tying the knot has a more literal meaning. During that ceremony, the bride and groom get a literal taste of flavors that represent the distinct stages in a marriage. Hopefully, you now have an idea of what these traditions entail and their significance. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes.Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vows by a couple, presentation of a gift (offering, rings, symbolic item, flowers, money, dress), and a public proclamation of marriage by an authority . For example, green represents renewal, purple represents healing, white represents purity, and red represents strength. While not quite as common as jumping the broom, the tasting of the four elements is becoming more popular at Black American celebrations. After the meal, the brides family heads home. Bees do it. However, they also pack up all the bones from the meat they just ate. Eritrea: Traditional Wedding. Each community has its way of celebrating the engagement ceremony. The traditional color of African royalty is purple accented with gold. According to the pure Moroccan tradition, there must be a day of "Henna." Great to have you there. The Yoruba ethnic group (present in countries like Nigeria, Niger and Benin) have a wedding tradition called the tasting of the four elements. Your email address will not be published. Interesting and great fun too. These four elements include sour, bitter, hot, and sweet-which represent all the emotions any marriage must withstand. The bride has henna applied on her limbs in intricate designs. Of course, 54 countries cannot have their culture summarized in one post. The tradition comes from the Yoruba people of West. But thats not the case for some Congolese brides and grooms. This ceremony is usually accompanied by songs and prayers for the newlyweds. Originally from Brisbane, Australia, Alexy now lives in the Pac North West with her loving husband, two kids, and Corgi named Gremlin.