Wedding Traditions Of Africa’s Central Region

Wedding traditions throughout the world can bring about all kinds of different traditions,

customs and religious beliefs. Some of the traditions are more modernized and some seem to be

of a different era. For the countries of Africa’s central region, that includes the Congo, Ethiopia,

Kenya and Somalia, these traditions are no different.

Congo

– For the marriage and wedding to be taken seriously, the couple is not allowed to smile during

or after the ceremony; this includes all pre, during and post ceremony photos.

– A church does not have the legal right to hold a wedding, therefore the couple are to wed in a

civil service first, then have a ceremony at the church.

Ethiopia

Arraigned marriages have always been a way of life in Ethiopia, however more of that is

changing, especially in the urban areas of the country. As for the arraigned weddings, after the

groom’s family ensures their son and potential bride are not related, the son’s family will then

ask the girl’s family for the marriage. If successful, the family of the groom will pay a dowry

pending on the family’s wealth. Generally the dowry will include anywhere from money to

livestock. In addition, the bride and groom will never see each other until the wedding itself.

After the ceremony the couple goes to his family’s home for the honeymoon which can last as

long as three months. He is expected to have devirginize his bride within the first three days of

marriage. It is not uncommon for the best man to accompanying the couple on the honeymoon.

During the honeymoon, the bride can go outside the home only after sunset.

After spending the honeymoon period at the groom’s family home, they then spend an

unspecified time staying at her family’s home.

Kenya

Marking the passing from that of a young bride in to that of a married woman, a ceremony

known as kupamba is performed. Kupamba generally takes place in the evening and this is the

first time she is shown in public after her real wedding takes place.

– The Karo tribe beautifies their brides with tattoos of different emblems and symbols onto her

abdomen.

– Amongst the people of Amhara, both marriages and divorces are negotiated between the two

families. Since the wife does not qualify for inheritance from her husband if he were to die, she

is paid wages of that of a housekeeper. Their children are however, will receive the inheritance.

Priests in the Amhara tribe are allowed to get married, but can’t divorce or remarry.

Many parts of Kenya today are adapting a more western style of wedding including the white

wedding gown.

In old traditional Kenya still lives the brides-to-be virgins, but this too has changed in more

modern times and have found that many of today’s brides are no longer virgins. However, in the

Lamu region, where the brides are from upper class families, they have to remain virgins or they

could spoil the family’s reputation.

Somalia

– A man is able to marry as many as four women as long as he can afford to support them.

– It is fairly common for an unborn female to become engaged to an older man.

– Within the Woyo tribe, when a bride marries and moves into her new husband’s home, her

mother gives her a gift; a set of carved pot lids. The lids are carved with images and symbols that

show the proverbs of marriage. The wife will serve food to guests and the lid she chooses would

represent how she is being treated by her husband for all to see without it being vocalized.

– At the wedding ceremony, the father of the bride in a Massai tribe will spit on his daughter’s

head and breasts, which serves as a blessing.

– A Massai bride then walks with her new husband to their new home. She is never to look back

in fear of turning to stone. The bride is often between 13-16 years old.

– To thwart off potential bad luck, sometimes the women in the groom’s family will purposely

insult his new bride.

– In the Swahili tribe, a somo, or elder woman, will teach the bride how to please her new

husband. To prevent problems, it is not uncommon for the somo to hide under the bed in the

event she is needed.

– A Samburu tribe wedding is considered complete after a bull is brought in to the hut, which is

to be watched by the mother of the bride. Then the bull is killed.

Wedding Traditions Of Africa’s Central Region
Wedding traditions throughout the world can bring about all kinds of different traditions,customs and religious beliefs. Some of the traditions are more modernized and some seem to beof a different era. For the countries of Africa’s central region, that includes the Congo, Ethiopia,Kenya and Somalia, these traditions are no different.
Congo
– For the marriage and wedding to be taken seriously, the couple is not allowed to smile duringor after the ceremony; this includes all pre, during and post ceremony photos.
– A church does not have the legal right to hold a wedding, therefore the couple are to wed in acivil service first, then have a ceremony at the church.
Ethiopia
Arraigned marriages have always been a way of life in Ethiopia, however more of that ischanging, especially in the urban areas of the country. As for the arraigned weddings, after thegroom’s family ensures their son and potential bride are not related, the son’s family will thenask the girl’s family for the marriage. If successful, the family of the groom will pay a dowrypending on the family’s wealth. Generally the dowry will include anywhere from money tolivestock. In addition, the bride and groom will never see each other until the wedding itself.
After the ceremony the couple goes to his family’s home for the honeymoon which can last aslong as three months. He is expected to have devirginize his bride within the first three days ofmarriage. It is not uncommon for the best man to accompanying the couple on the honeymoon.During the honeymoon, the bride can go outside the home only after sunset.
After spending the honeymoon period at the groom’s family home, they then spend anunspecified time staying at her family’s home.
Kenya
Marking the passing from that of a young bride in to that of a married woman, a ceremonyknown as kupamba is performed. Kupamba generally takes place in the evening and this is thefirst time she is shown in public after her real wedding takes place.
– The Karo tribe beautifies their brides with tattoos of different emblems and symbols onto herabdomen.
– Amongst the people of Amhara, both marriages and divorces are negotiated between the twofamilies. Since the wife does not qualify for inheritance from her husband if he were to die, sheis paid wages of that of a housekeeper. Their children are however, will receive the inheritance.
Priests in the Amhara tribe are allowed to get married, but can’t divorce or remarry.
Many parts of Kenya today are adapting a more western style of wedding including the whitewedding gown.
In old traditional Kenya still lives the brides-to-be virgins, but this too has changed in moremodern times and have found that many of today’s brides are no longer virgins. However, in theLamu region, where the brides are from upper class families, they have to remain virgins or theycould spoil the family’s reputation.
Somalia
– A man is able to marry as many as four women as long as he can afford to support them.
– It is fairly common for an unborn female to become engaged to an older man.
– Within the Woyo tribe, when a bride marries and moves into her new husband’s home, hermother gives her a gift; a set of carved pot lids. The lids are carved with images and symbols thatshow the proverbs of marriage. The wife will serve food to guests and the lid she chooses wouldrepresent how she is being treated by her husband for all to see without it being vocalized.
– At the wedding ceremony, the father of the bride in a Massai tribe will spit on his daughter’shead and breasts, which serves as a blessing.
– A Massai bride then walks with her new husband to their new home. She is never to look backin fear of turning to stone. The bride is often between 13-16 years old.
– To thwart off potential bad luck, sometimes the women in the groom’s family will purposelyinsult his new bride.
– In the Swahili tribe, a somo, or elder woman, will teach the bride how to please her newhusband. To prevent problems, it is not uncommon for the somo to hide under the bed in theevent she is needed.
– A Samburu tribe wedding is considered complete after a bull is brought in to the hut, which isto be watched by the mother of the bride. Then the bull is killed.