I am in Violet and Oswald's wedding video. I am probably in some of Violet and Oswald's wedding photos. I definitely ate some of their cake :) This past weekend Jen got invited to a wedding and I got to tag along as her plus one. Thanks Jen!
The ceremony was earlier in the day, and the reception was being held at the YMCA, a ten minute walk from Seminar Block (the dormitory where we live). Jen went to get her hair done...well washed and blow dried straight at a salon we discovered in town. It took two hours...and the girl has straight hair.
We put on some of our best clothes (which for me isn't saying much as but now I can proudly say I wore dirty running shoes to a wedding) put on actual makeup and walked in down the hill to the YMCA.
The best things about the evening...1) the applause track 2) the roasted goat cake 3) the great music 4) the dancing (yes I know we have dancing at weddings at home..but not in the receiving line and during the presentation of the gifts 5) I fact I had an amazing time. Although some things reminded me of weddings in Canada...the bride wore white, the hall was decorated (in gold and white) with organza, balloons, strings of lights and flowers, there was a maid of honour, a best man and bridesmaid...and tons of free alcohol. Yes..this wedding had a lot of elements that made it seem like it was going to be just like a typical Canadian wedding...that is until it started...
When we got to the Y, Jen had to show the invitation in order to be admitted into the hall, and then the fun began...right away. We were offered Fantas, Cokes, Malt beverages, Kilimanjaro beer, Tusker beer , Castle beer and Safari beer...and last but not least...PEANUTS. We both took water and peanuts...and then said a little prayer for red wine. We were told to sit anywhere on the groom's side (Jen was invited by the groom's mother) and were joined by two very nice ladies (Lydia and Verynice..yes that is her real name) from Kiwawkukki (Jen's NGO).
Here is a my account of the evening...hopefully following the correct timeline.
First there's a ceremony....Once the couple is married, they parade through the streets of Moshi in a caravan of cars almost always followed by a pickup truck, with a brass band in the back belting away at the tunes, and a videographer capturing the moment for all eternity. Then it's off to the reception venue.
Guests are greeted at the door and invitations are checked and marked to ensure now one crashes the wedding. You are then given a drink and asked to sit down to await the arrival of the bride and groom...and they certainly make an entrance. The MC asks everyone to stand, the music starts and the procession starts, flower girl and ring "boy", 20 bridesmaids, the best man and maid of honour (who was more or less dressed like a bride), the bride and groom and finally the brass band led by the trombone player and closed off by the bass drum. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! There was going to be a lot of line dancing tonight (just no regular dancing as there wasn't a dance floor!) ...I just didn't know it yet.
Everyone takes a seat and the festivities begin...the first part of the evening was the introductions. The mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, uncles, aunts, grandparents, cousins, milkman, teacher..EVERYONE in any way related to the bride or groom had their name called, were introduced, stood up and waved to the crowd accompanied by the (strange) applause track. (At first I thought people were applauding...so I was clapping along too...then I realized not enough people were clapping to make such a loud sound.)
Then it was time for line dancing part two. Toasting the couple..or as I like to call it...the conga receiving line. All the guest lined up and danced in a line, all holding their various beverages of choice, to toast the parents of the bride and groom, the maid of honour, the best man, the bride and the groom. Jen and I toasted each and every one of them, dancing in the line the entire time, with our bottles of Kilimanjaro water. I must have said "Hongera!/Congratulations!" to about 20 people.
Then...came time to cut the goat. Yes cut the goat. More music starts up and the servers all conga line dance in..followed by this skinny little chef with a tall white chef's hat on wheeling in an entire roasted goat (by entire I mean entire...hooves, head, eyes, hair etc) decorated with ribbons, palm leaves and orange slices. He then proceeded to dance with the goat and present it to the couple.
The couple then sliced off tiny bits of the goat, just like it was a wedding cake and fed it to each other, then to the maid of honour and the best man, then to their parents. It very symbolic but at the same time I couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor goat.
Then, thankfully there was an "English" cake. It was a architectural wonder...eight layers and cake supports and what looked to be a bridge. They cut the cake...same as we do at home then it was time to eat.
Everything was piled on to one plate, salad, wedding cake, goat, rice and we all had to eat with our fingers. Nothing is wasted...everyone patiently waited their turn to get their plate...and almost everyone ate everything on their plate. I just couldn't eat the goat...and it's accompanying goat hair...sorry Violet and Oswald!
After eating...it was time for speeches (strangely only the fathers of the bride and groom make speeches) and the gift ceremony. At this point the MC announced, "Some people here really smell...so no one is allowed to hug the bride and ruin her dress"...um OK :) The gift ceremony was another conga line...people lined up by family, or work relationship, or by themselves, were announced, then had to line in a line up to the bride and groom and present their gift. (The couple was very lucky to receive a milk cow and its calf from the groom's father).
I wasn't about to miss out on this part, and I don't think the ladies we were sitting with would have let me....I danced along with everyone else up the conga line and down to the bride and groom and helped to present the gift. I then proceeded to be almost trampled by the crowd of women who grabbed the mother of the bride, all the while making strange noises (kind of like a native war cry...sorry can't think of a better way to describe it) and hoisted her over their heads. A genuine outpouring of joy...
The gift ceremony took about an hour and continued right through a power outage that lasted 1/2 hour. It was just business as usual. People were happy. People were drunk. People were smiling. In Tanzania the entire community gathers together to help a couple get married. People contribute money, whatever they can spare, to help make the occasion a happy one.
Oh yes a wedding is a happy occasion in Tanzania...well..unless you are a goat :)
1 comment:
Well said.
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