Here in Uganda, there are typically two very big events for couples: an introduction and a wedding. An introduction is where the groom is introduced to the brides’ family. It’s an absolutely huge “to-do”, where the groom brings all sorts of gifts to appreciate the family for their daughter. Before the event meetings are held primarily to figure out how the event will be funded because typically nobody really has the money to pull off the event by themselves so they send out “budgets” to friends and family asking for help in paying for everything from luggage, to goats, to seating for the event.
The day-of begins with everyone getting dressed up in their traditional wear of gomezi for the ladies (dresses with pointed sleeves, tons of fabric, and a huge belt) and kanzus for the men (basically off-white night gowns they wear with slacks and a suit jacket). Everyone is told the event is to begin at a certain time but everyone gets there about 2 hours after said time. If they are a part of the groom’s party, they meet at a certain location and then head out with a huge convoy bringing the guests and gifts from him to the location of the introduction. Once they get there, the women line up on one side and the men on the other and they make their grand entrance as the bride’s side is already seated. The guests come and sit and on each side there is an emcee to help run things, and it make the whole day a lot less painful if they’re more on the charismatic side (for this one, the emcee was from one political party, and the groom from another which helped for lots of playful banter). Then the whole ceremony is carried out in the language of the families (for this one it was Lusoga). There were several groups who came and danced in traditional wear and envelopes of money were given out to members of the bride’s family. And finally it’s time for the bride to make her big entrance wearing the first of several very fancy gomezi and the maid of honor (somehow) is to go and fetch the groom from among the crowd and bring him to his bride. Then it’s time for the groom’s side to bring in gifts. The women carry in baskets wrapped in cellophane filled with everything from bread to cooking oil to potatoes and they MUST carry them on their heads. The men bring in the bigger stuff like Matooke (green bananas), charcoal, and furniture. And it’s all placed before the bride’s family. Then there’s the cake and the food.
That’s what happens at the event, and now to personalize it a bit. I had never worn a gomezi 100% the traditional way until this event. I will admit I was pretty miserable. It is literally yards of fabric over a whole other layer in order to give you an ehem… figure. It rained the day of this introduction so the first part of the ceremony people were getting soaked and there’s nothing like using your gomezi that is hanging down to the floor to help soak up some of the water (or at least that’s what mine ended up doing). I will also admit though, that I loved my material and enjoyed the fact that Ugandans really appreciate when bazungu (westerners) support their traditions. I will also say that Davis looking unbelievably handsome in his kanzu and I found myself having to make a conscious effort to look at the bride and groom and not at him (hehe). Overall it was a really fun day and I’m so glad we were able to be there to support the bride and groom as they begin the process of beginning their lives together.
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