Leading up to a wedding can be a time of stress and bliss—the amount of work it takes to pull off an event to remember can make a bride rip her hair out, but it ends up being worth all the work on the special day. In the United States, weddings typically follow the pattern of build-up, practice and the real deal. In Nigeria, however, weddings have an additional component: the traditional wedding.
An average American experiences the “white wedding,” the ceremony with the pomp and circumstance of a white dress and floral bouquets, said Ashan-wa Aliogo, a freshman from in Lagos, Nigeria.
The traditional wedding reflects native Nigerian culture. Before a couple even thinks of having a wedding, local elders must approve their relationship and permit them to take the next steps for it to be formally recognized. Once the couple has the blessing of the elders, the bride and groom prepare by acquiring matching “loud”—yet not garish—costumes. Their family and close friends also receive clothes made of a matching material called ankara.
Before the optional “white wedding” begins, the traditional wedding commences, Aliogo said. A masquerade of fabulous presentations, delicious eats and traditional music, the wedding is a time of joy and fun.
But there are a few rituals which must be followed. The bride drinks palm wine and must present the same wine to her husband, who is hidden somewhere in a crowd of guests. After the bride (hopefully) finds her man and he drinks the palm wine, the elders bless their union. Then the couple has their first dance while onlookers shower them in money.
Sounds a little better than attending the rehearsal dinner, right?
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