African wedding traditions

Africa, with its many nations and tribes, is very rich in different wedding traditions. An old African proverb says, "A man without a wife is like a vase without flowers."

father blesses his daughter

At the wedding ceremony in Masai (Maasai) nation of Kenya the father of the bride blesses her by spitting on her head and breasts. Then she leaves with her husband. While walking to her new home she never looks back as she believes that she will turn to stone.

henna tattoos being applied

Swahilli nation of Kenya bathe bride in sandalwood oils and apply henna tattoos on her limbs. Somo or a woman elder instructs the bride how to satisfy her husband. It may sound strange or perhaps even funny but the somo will sometimes hide under the bed in case some unexpected problems appear!

Samburu men

Semi-nomadic Samburu nation lives in Kenya too. For the Samburu people presents prepared by groom (two goatskins, two copper earrings, a milk container, a sheep) are especially important.

Polygamous marriages are common in the Wodabee nation of Niger. Marriages called „coogal“ are arranged by parents during couple's infancy. There are also marriages as result of love. Such marriages are called „teegal“.

Groom's family offers a price to the bride's family and then they become married. A bride lives with her husband until her pregnancy. Then she returns to her mother's home, where she will remain for the next three to four years.

With the birth of a baby the woman becomes a boofeydo or "someone who has made an error." Being a boofeydo means that she can not see or speak with her husband. The husband can not express any interest in her or the baby.

After two to three years, the woman will be able to visit her husband, but not live with him. Finally, when the woman's mother buys everything that is needed for bride's home, she and the baby return to the husband.

Karo woman and her child

Between 1000 and 1500 Karo (Kara) people live on the east banks of the Omo River in south Ethiopia. To enhance the beauty of the Karo bride her abdomen is tattooed with different symbols. The Karo man can have as many wives as he can afford. Usually he has two or three wives.

In Sudanese Neur tribe the groom when getting married pays for 20-40 herds of cattle. Wedding is complete when the wife gives birth to two kids. If the wife has only one child the husband can ask for divorce. He can also ask for the cattle or the baby.

If the husband dies then his family has to give his brother as husband to the widow. Any children from this relationship are treated as children of the deceased.

Muslim weddings in Tanzania are usually organized on Sundays during Sawwal, which is the tenth month of the lunar Islamic calendar. Before the start of wedding every bride gets a Sumo. The Sumo is the best friend of bride's mother. Sumo accompanies the bride wherever she goes.

Sumo performs the beauty treatment of bride's hair, skin and nails. Special mixture made of sugar and lime juice is used to cover bride's body. This mixture is used to remove all of her body hair except those on the head. Bride's hands and feet are decorated with "mehdi" or "henna" tattoos. Special oils are put on bride's hair. Her make-up is applied. Perfumed oils are smeared on her body. Finally, she gets her jewelry and a weil.

After the wedding ceremony, the sumo prepares a bed for the happy couple. Some aromatic petals are usually placed on such a bed. This ends the sumo's duties. The groom pays her an agreed fee.