African-American-Wedding-traditions
Every country has its own traditions. When it
comes to the marriage of a boy or a girl, Africans attach lots of
importance to this occasion. It is rich in cultural traditions whether
it is marriage or marriage rituals.
Every part of Africa has customs and rituals which have their own
significance. In Ethiopia, puberty of bride to be is celebrated,
cuts are made on her abdomen and then ash is rubbed over it, this
is done to be enhance her desirability.
In Swahili tribe of Kenya, there are lots of rituals
which are done to enhance the beauty of bride. She is massaged with
sandalwood and lots of oils. Henna designs are tattooed on her limbs.
Then she is instructed by older womenfolk how to please her husband.
In Masai tribe, brides are insulted by the older women
of groom?s family to ward off bad luck.
In modern society, the celebrations and rituals present
more modern way.
Marriage is an auspicious occasion; it is union of
two people. It demands some celebration. It is customary to hold
dinners, processions and parties at this occasion. Guests include
friends, relatives and families of both girl and boy.
There are lots of other activities which need to
be done for the gathering and rituals which are associated with
the marriage. Wedding planners are made in advance. List of guests
is prepared.
Then next important task is deciding the venue for
the big day. Lots of big and small hotels have nice arrangement
for the wedding celebration. The selection of place of wedding may
be according to the number of guest and budget set for the ceremony.
The other thing is the selection of menu for the
dinner. Lots of cuisines are available in all the restaurants and
hotels. You can pick up from the wide variety that is offered in
the hotels. You can choose traditional delicacies which will be
much liked by your African guests. Apart from it there are Caribbean
and South American dishes to complement your menu. Local dishes
are much preferred because they give the taste of home cooked food.
Other important thing is bridal accessories. As it
is unique and very special day for the bride, her attires should
be exotic. Lots of wedding dresses are available in the market.
Designers give a unique touch of elegance to the gowns or frocks
which contains frills, bows and beads.
Jewellery which makes an important part of bridal
accessory contains necklace, earring, rings and bracelets which
are worn by the brides. Diamond studded jewels add to the beauty
of the brides.
Bride maids too dress up beautifully for the occasion.
Special dresses for the bride maids can be purchased from any leading
store. Flower baskets decorated with bows and beads are used to
contain petals of red and pink roses to be showered upon the couple.
Then there are wedding rings that are exchanged between
the couple on the big day.
Broom jumping is one of the important ceremonies
of African marriages. It is associated with the ancient rituals
of marriage among slaves. This ceremony is performed after the minister
pronounces the couple man and woman. A broom can be purchased from
the market or you can use your home?s broom. A broom is decorated
with bells, bows and ribbons to make it beautiful.
Apart from all these, wedding cakes are cut. Various
beautiful cakes in wonderful shapes can be purchased from the stores.
A marriage is a moment of happiness and togetherness,
music, dance and excitement has to be there to make it a unique
occasion. Various types of songs like traditional beats and modern
pop can be played to set every foot tap to its tunes.
Reception is held after the marriage and blessing
are showered on the couple for the bright future of the married
life. Gifts and flowers are presented to the couple to complement
them for the occasion.
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