July 6, 2010
As night settled on the island of Zanzibar, excited shouts, music and the cries of women filled the air. Dressed in their colorful outfits and elegant, offers solid gold bracelets and chains, hands and feet decorated with floral motifs based on traditional henna, women are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the star of the evening: the bride . As the band live in the room for expansion, the audience moves to a climax, the bride makes her entrance large.
It occurs under the cries of “Bibi Harussi, the bride has come!” That women leave their treble joy. Her mother, friends, sisters and aunts followed in their footsteps, dancing and singing with them literally on their decision to the breath of many: it is the most important event of this young woman, never do in their lives. It has now officially entered womanhood, she is a woman married another man, and the results of days sometimes weeks, Beauty lead to their moment of entry. It were majestically bright, brilliant and all, showing her sparkling dress and her hair and amazing makeup and henna complex patterns on the arms and legs.
The entrance of the bride represents the culmination of a traditional marriage Kiswahili. These marriages are among the entire population of East Africa where Swahili, including the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba, Tanzania and Kenya coast. Swahili marriages integrate deeply rooted culture and religion that can trace the roots of the Arab population, in Swahili.
Even if a marriage Swahili may differ according to local tradition and the depth of a portfolio of the family, remain the same principles. When a young married man and a woman, first, a dowry payments are made. This involves lengthy negotiations between the two families. The dowry is usually a sum of money or gold, or of furniture for the couple’s house who gives the girl. Secondly, the girl agrees to marry. On the wedding day, before the actual marriage vows are taken, it is asked three times if she agreed to this marriage. If she says no at any time, the marriage is annulled immediately. If she accepts, vows are present with witnesses, including one transferred to his father or a representative from his father.
For those who are not able to elaborate weddings, a ceremony mere inclusion of these things for a valid marriage. Swahili culture, however, considers the marriage of one of the most important events in the life of a man, and it is expected that the wedding will be celebrated in style.
If negotiations on marriage, a wedding date is set and the preparations can begin. Two weeks before the wedding, the bride a “Sanduku,” the Swahili word for suitcase. It is literally a matter of importance to each imaginary point of the girl could meet for their personal use during their first year of marriage. It includes clothing, shoes, lingerie, makeup, toiletries, materials for making clothes, towels, perfume and even toothbrushes and toothpaste.
A week before the wedding, the young girl in an isolated place where she can prepare to take, receive all kinds of beauty treatments and be able to ask their female relatives, especially her godmother, all questions she had on her life about to enter. For a young woman, Swahili, on their wedding day symbolizes the transition to adulthood. In their culture, it comes with responsibility, as a man and later a family, but also rights, he grew up. You can now make up, gold, nice clothes, do their hair, marriages, unmarried girls are allowed to make something not to do and generally being a woman in her own right.
One of the most striking differences between a traditional marriage and Swahili style meets West, is that the couple is not together when the wedding vows are taken, and they are separated for most of the festivities. It is the religion of the Swahili people, Islam is based not allow women to celebrate women and to share such an occasion. This is because the women are not able to celebrate freely, that is to remove her headscarf, watching their sensual dance and traditional dances are usually free if the people.
During the ceremony or Nikkah, the groom is usually in a mosque, his wife is to be in the same area, but not allowed in the same space-space if, for example, if the mosque complex is a other building or isolated area where the bride can sit. Sometimes the bride somewhere in the vicinity of the bridegroom, when they say their vows. It could be with their parents at home or at any other location that is kept in shape.
If the wedding vows are taken, it is time for the bride to come in their moment of glory. She makes her entrance in front of the guests of marriage for women and takes place on a stage before the public so that it can be seen and people can take pictures with her. A little later, the husband joins them, and after extensive congratulations and photo opportunities, they leave together as husband and wife, leaving their guests to celebrate and eat sumptuous amounts of food.
During the visit of a marriage in Swahili, is quite obvious that women are responsible here. The air in the room where the party will take place is difficult, with the scent of all the women present, they were held a festival of colors, gold hung in abundance. A wedding celebration is a time part of the Swahili women is their chance to dress to show her outfits take their gold art and dance until morning to escape, a chance, if only for a time of domestic work everyday.
There are usually several other functions, following the official ceremony and “View of the bride.” A game can be followed with close relatives or a religious ceremony, where prayers recited to bless the couple. Fight Sometimes a model is staging “, where the party girls at home parents to break the” husband “the door for his wife, and especially that it has to bribe” for the male relatives of the bride, he!
With the official wedding is over, the festivities go on for several days. The man then took his new wife to all members of her own family – in Swahili tradition, a wife to a part of the family of man “set up after marriage. There is a wife until she gives birth to her first child. His “wife” and then days are officially over. But until then, it will probably countless other marriages went to enjoy the party!
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