The weekend before Christmas, I was honored to be invited to an "Introduction Ceremony". Essentially, this is a huge celebration during which a Potential Bride and Groom's Families are formally introduced to one another.
So please, join me for the celebration!!...
Allow me to set the scene...
The small rocky yards of three neighboring houses are transformed into the celebration area. Four large tents have been erected and filled with chairs, flowers, bows and bands of colorful fabric - giving a festive flair to the space. The centre of the space is left empty...this is the stage where we will lay our scene...The family of the prospective Groom faces the father and relatives of the Prospective Bride across the centre "stage". As we take our seats the MC for the day is chatting and telling jokes, entertaining the waiting guests. Most of the women attending this celebration are dressed in their traditional garments which are called "Gomesi", the colors of the fabric are bright and often decorated with gold thread, beads or sequins. (I am also wearing a Gomes...mine is brilliant purple with gold accent and wide Gold band around my waist.)
Music is played and a t the door of the house we see a line of ladies begin to dance into our scene. These are the Aunties of the Bride. They dance their way into the free space and kneel in front of the Groom's family. They greet and speak to the family before returning to their feet. They dance their way around the family - they are in search of the Groom!! When they find him, they raise his hand to the sky and the whole place explodes in celebration!! As the crowd hoots and hollers and claps - the Aunties lead the Groom (dancing) to the seat of honor at the front of his Family near the stage. The Aunties then formally welcome their soon-to-be new nephew into the family and place a wreath of flowers around his neck, before dancing their way back to the house.
Music begins again and this time a long line of young women and girls appear at the doorway of the house...these are the sisters of the families...they too, dance their way out and each take turns greeting the family of the groom before dancing out again...they are followed by a long line of handsome brothers who do the same.
Next, the Best Man, Groom and Groom's Mother kneel before the Father of the Bride and He gives his blessing and consent for the marriage...He touches each of their heads in blessing and presents the Groom with a formal certificate of permission to marry his daughter.
Music floods the place again and this time a whole line of beautiful Gomes - clad young ladies come dancing out of the house...these are the girlfriends of the Bride...and one of the girls IS the promised Bride...but we do not know which one yet!! They dance and dance, in a large circle in the centre space. finally they kneel in a line in front of the Groom and his Family.The Mother of the Groom then rises, and goes to kneel in front of the girl who is to be her new Daughter....she welcomes her and places a wreath of flowers around her neck...CELEBRATION!!!! Again the whole place erupts in cheers and clapping!!!
As if on cue, the entire family of the groom rises to their feet and begin to dance out of the area...they are gone for but a few minutes, and when they return, they are carrying gifts. Each of the women carries a basket on her head filled with anything from vegetables, household items, utensils, fruit, and garden fresh greens...some women carry live chickens in their arms...the Men carry in crates of soda, bags of mais flour and even a side of beef!! The gifts are piled in the free space between the girls and the groom's family.
Finally, at long last, the Groom rises and steps forward to claim his Bride...the moment he takes her hand the music blasts and the crowd goes wild!! They walk together to a table and cut a cake - more celebrations!!! And the cake is served while the food is brought out for the feast!
For the next hour - we FEAST!! There is a mountain of Matooke, vats full of G-nut sauce, Greens peas sauce, Huge bins full of rice and Hundreds of Chapati and tonnes of potatoes...There are also several types of roasted meat being served - but, being a vegetarian, I did not partake of those apparently savoury and juicy morsels of flesh. With plates piled high with food, the conversations flow freely and everyone enjoys the festive atmosphere while stomachs . After everyone is satisfied, it is time to officially end the evening before the casual celebrating can begin... I am called to join the long line of girls...we carry baskets filled with beautifully wrapped apples - these are gifts to the Groom's family. One Girl carries a basket filled with Candles. As the Groom's family files out, they are given a lit candle - to light their way home...and one of the apple-gifts because anyone who comes t\with a full basket should not leave empty-handed.
From here the evening dissolves into a mass of joyous dancing and laughter as the chairs are stacked and moved out of the way.
At the end of the night...every face is smiling, every stomach is full, and everyone has been inspired by the beauty of young love.
"I was moved. What I had before my eyes stole into my heart and thrilled me."
-Yann Martel
So please, join me for the celebration!!...
Allow me to set the scene...
The small rocky yards of three neighboring houses are transformed into the celebration area. Four large tents have been erected and filled with chairs, flowers, bows and bands of colorful fabric - giving a festive flair to the space. The centre of the space is left empty...this is the stage where we will lay our scene...The family of the prospective Groom faces the father and relatives of the Prospective Bride across the centre "stage". As we take our seats the MC for the day is chatting and telling jokes, entertaining the waiting guests. Most of the women attending this celebration are dressed in their traditional garments which are called "Gomesi", the colors of the fabric are bright and often decorated with gold thread, beads or sequins. (I am also wearing a Gomes...mine is brilliant purple with gold accent and wide Gold band around my waist.)
Music is played and a t the door of the house we see a line of ladies begin to dance into our scene. These are the Aunties of the Bride. They dance their way into the free space and kneel in front of the Groom's family. They greet and speak to the family before returning to their feet. They dance their way around the family - they are in search of the Groom!! When they find him, they raise his hand to the sky and the whole place explodes in celebration!! As the crowd hoots and hollers and claps - the Aunties lead the Groom (dancing) to the seat of honor at the front of his Family near the stage. The Aunties then formally welcome their soon-to-be new nephew into the family and place a wreath of flowers around his neck, before dancing their way back to the house.
Music begins again and this time a long line of young women and girls appear at the doorway of the house...these are the sisters of the families...they too, dance their way out and each take turns greeting the family of the groom before dancing out again...they are followed by a long line of handsome brothers who do the same.
Next, the Best Man, Groom and Groom's Mother kneel before the Father of the Bride and He gives his blessing and consent for the marriage...He touches each of their heads in blessing and presents the Groom with a formal certificate of permission to marry his daughter.
Music floods the place again and this time a whole line of beautiful Gomes - clad young ladies come dancing out of the house...these are the girlfriends of the Bride...and one of the girls IS the promised Bride...but we do not know which one yet!! They dance and dance, in a large circle in the centre space. finally they kneel in a line in front of the Groom and his Family.The Mother of the Groom then rises, and goes to kneel in front of the girl who is to be her new Daughter....she welcomes her and places a wreath of flowers around her neck...CELEBRATION!!!! Again the whole place erupts in cheers and clapping!!!
As if on cue, the entire family of the groom rises to their feet and begin to dance out of the area...they are gone for but a few minutes, and when they return, they are carrying gifts. Each of the women carries a basket on her head filled with anything from vegetables, household items, utensils, fruit, and garden fresh greens...some women carry live chickens in their arms...the Men carry in crates of soda, bags of mais flour and even a side of beef!! The gifts are piled in the free space between the girls and the groom's family.
Finally, at long last, the Groom rises and steps forward to claim his Bride...the moment he takes her hand the music blasts and the crowd goes wild!! They walk together to a table and cut a cake - more celebrations!!! And the cake is served while the food is brought out for the feast!
For the next hour - we FEAST!! There is a mountain of Matooke, vats full of G-nut sauce, Greens peas sauce, Huge bins full of rice and Hundreds of Chapati and tonnes of potatoes...There are also several types of roasted meat being served - but, being a vegetarian, I did not partake of those apparently savoury and juicy morsels of flesh. With plates piled high with food, the conversations flow freely and everyone enjoys the festive atmosphere while stomachs . After everyone is satisfied, it is time to officially end the evening before the casual celebrating can begin... I am called to join the long line of girls...we carry baskets filled with beautifully wrapped apples - these are gifts to the Groom's family. One Girl carries a basket filled with Candles. As the Groom's family files out, they are given a lit candle - to light their way home...and one of the apple-gifts because anyone who comes t\with a full basket should not leave empty-handed.
From here the evening dissolves into a mass of joyous dancing and laughter as the chairs are stacked and moved out of the way.
At the end of the night...every face is smiling, every stomach is full, and everyone has been inspired by the beauty of young love.
"I was moved. What I had before my eyes stole into my heart and thrilled me."
-Yann Martel
posted by Lola | 5:16 PM
2 Comments:
hello my mom works with your mom, i think you are amazing and a wonderful person doing the right thing! God gave you a gift and just by looking at you Blob i can tell that the gift was the gift of putting everyone before yourself, I wish i could be like you exploring the world and helping others! You inspire me!
Hi Lola,
This is Patrick Loewen (Rosenort/Prov days), I came across your blog but don't have a contact email for you, email me when you have a chance ploewen@belairnetworks.com
Pat
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