Two Wedding Receptions and Marriage Customs in Tanzania

 My latest blog in which I discuss wedding receptions and marriage in Africa

Last week I wrote about the wedding I attended on a Saturday morning. I was invited, along with Bishop to the reception which was a fascinating insight in the customs and practices amongs locals. It also highlighted that marriage here is a community event, not just involving the couple, their families and friends.

The bride’s family comes from Mwanza, the second largest city in TAnzania and about four hours south of Musoma. The first reception was there. After all the formalities atthe church they and the wedding party drove south for the first reception. This was attended by people from that city and surrounds as well as the families of both the bride and groom.

The second reception was Sunday night at a large hall near the outskirts of the centre of twon here at a building used by the University. While the road to get there was atrocious, the setting was astounding with fairy lights outside and the hall decked out beautifully with a long archway and fairy lights.

Due to start at 7pm, Bishop who knows the best man kept in contact with him to get an idea of when we should arrive (unlike turning up on Saturday as the first to arrive for a 9am wedding which didn’t get going till 10am. So we arrived at 8.30pm, the hall comfortbluy full awaiting the arrival of the married couple. We were asked where we would like to sit, so took a table on the upper level near the front.

Marriage is a Community Event

This receptiod had easily 200 plus people at it. As I was to learn the next morning from the best man, the event in Mwanza on Saturday evening was even bigger.

All people at this reception contributed to be there. Typically an invitation has an suggested amount per person/couple which could only cover perhaps catering costs and hall hire. However a committee is formed by friends and in this case the committee looked to be over forty people.

This wedding was arranged at six weeks notice, which is when the groom, a pastor in the church here approached his bishop (my host in Tanzania) asking permission and also seeking approval to marry in Mwanza at te bride’s family church. He was advised as an Anglican minister he was obligated to marry in his denominational church and the bishop offered to conduct the service.

The church service the day before had me pondering why the bride had not taken communion and the reason was that she had not been confrmed in the Anglican Church although baptised in it (all my Sydney Anglican friends should realise this is how the Anglican world still operates outside our very low diocese).

So the committee of many is formed and they organise everything including invitations and payment for the celebrations above what the groom had been able to raise when he asked his bride to marry him. Everything inlcudes hiring the venues for receptions, catering, drinks, table decorations and other decorations and the MC.

Now the MC was a very strong lady on crutches who seemed to have a secret code with the music man because she only had a give a signal and music stopped and the next agenda item started.

So once seated the guests of honour arrived though the long archway. I wasn’t sure who the first few small groups were but then the best man and maid of honour (who were married I later discovered) arrived then the bride and groom to much loud applause, cheering and ululating, amongst the music playing.

First group entry

Best man and Bridesmaid

Bridal couple

Unlike Western weddings the dancing starts straight away. Once the bridal couple were stood at the front, a mosh pit like crowd gathered around and the dancing started with cheers, and greetings from all those agthered around. I lost sight of them at various times. After some ten minutes without any indication, the sound stopped and all except the bridal party sat down.

Moshpit

Cake cutting

Cake to bride’s family

The cake is then cut and speeches begin but from the groom and bride. The symbolic wedding cake after cutting is distributed as gifts to various groups being thanked by the happy couple. For good measure there are a half dozen cakes the size of the top tier presented to various groups.