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afro style mag | AFRO TRADITIONAL
The Hausas/Fulani are basically Moslems, and their traditional wedding rites are subsumed into that practiced by Moslems worldwide. Like the above tribes, most of the weddings are prearranged although not at infancy. The Fulanis had a unique show of endurance in traditional marriage rites undertaken by all intending grooms at a particular time which may still be in practice. Able bodied men, (not the grooms) carrying many sturdy whips formed two long lines facing each other. The grooms were heavily fortified by charms that were supposed to dull the bite of the stings from the whips. Closely watched by their future brides, families and villagers, they’d walk unhurriedly down the middle of the two human lines, severally lashed at the back by the cane wielding men. With their backs covered by whip marks, the grooms dared not flinch as such, for it showed weakness-a shame his family would be saddled with for years.
In present day Nigeria, with upward mobility and mass movement from the rural to the urban areas, traditional marriage rites have taken a beating. Rites that used to take years to complete are now squeezed into two days. The Traditional marriage rites are done on one day, then the Religious, Court or White wedding the next day. However, Ndigbo and the Yorubas no longer prearrange marriages, including the Moslems in their midst, for their children. The young couple meets, dates, decides to get married, and informs their parents of their intention. The iku aka n`uzo of Ndigbo and the isihun of the Yorubas are still practiced today although the owe merin practice has been discarded because many parents no longer farm and those who do are mostly small scale farmers. Migration’s left the villages bereft of young and able bodied men to even carry out such assignments. Even if they are found, they must be paid for such services unlike in the past when it was deemed an honor and a sacrifice for the happiness of their kinsman. However, the native kola-nut and the palm wine have retained their pride of place as they still play crucial roles in any wedding transaction.
Africans no longer use cowries as money for transactions but the present day monetary exchange in respective countries. Most parents now educate their daughters to whatever height they are willing to reach. This has resulted in fathers charging the prospective groom exorbitantly for the bride price and a long list of expensive items the future groom and his family must present to them before the girl is allowed to marry him. Some newly married couples after their wedding run into heavy debts which affects married life. This has led men to marry much later which in turn affects girls too. Gradually, some sense of sanity has started to prevail with many areas putting a ceiling to what a man must present and spend for his traditional wedding no matter how financially buoyant he is. The poor can now afford a wife as soon as he deems it time to marry. Many now refuse to accept the bride price insisting that their daughters are not for sale while those who still do collect a token amount.
Sadly though, some religious fanatics reject everything traditional equating the traditional wedding rites to devil worship. The revered kola-nut is now considered the fruit offered Adam by Eve. Such weird interpretations have now been heaped on such beautiful traditions.
