Rhys a colleague and friend of mine married his sweetheart last Saturday. The whole thing was so simple. They courted for seventeen months. That was it. He proposed, and she accepted. Now, they are husband and wife.
The marriage ceremony lasted for about forty-eight minutes. And the groom kissed the bride...
The reception was held in their living room. Twelve of their closest relatives and friends attended. Period!
This is one area, where I'm in love with the West. No haggling, no embarrassing and outrageous bride price.
The groom does not have to settle a whole community or village in the name of 'endless' extended family.
He needs not buy some funny looking 'ashoke' or 'jorge wrappers' for six generation aunties and grannies. Nor does he need to produce endless barrels of 'palm-wine' and yam tubers to appease the 'age-grade'.
Here, they just exchange vows(which they may or may not keep). It doesn't matter.
Another African tradition that puts me and a lot others off is the burial ceremonies. Although the muslims bury the dead straight away, I must say, that I do not know what proceeds after the burial...
I don't know why Africans saddle themselves with some combersome traditions and ceremonies...
A man or woman, passes on and the children- especially if they are well-to-do are expected to host a carnival of some sort for the entire town or village. Ironical, I must say.
You are the one who is bereaved .The person who passed on, may even be so close to you. You are the one who is grieving, yet, you are expected to feed people you hardly know. Sounds totally absurd!
Some of these traditions/ ceremonies are rather too tedious. Lets at least reduce the combersomeness and save ourselves some financial embarrassment.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Can't We Do Away With These Ceremonies...?
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2 comments:
I totally agree with u there. some if not most of our traditions and ceremonies especiallly the two u just highligted are cumbersome.
on marriage, this has discouraged more guys.
I hope with time, things would change for the better.
It's usually a big argument when I raise the idea that my wedding will more simpler than going to the market to buy some stuffs.
My old-fashioned peeps have already started raking that not in their own time will marriage be unceremonious. All I told them is that they had opportunity to decide how theirs would be and it went that way. I have the frigging right to decide how mine will also be, Ceteris paribus.
They just sit numb like they just heard a speech from the President of the aliens.
Not in my marriage will some kolanut-chewing, bent-back wasters make money to fuel their wasteful lifestyles. Mba!
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