UGANDAN WEDDING DAY

Yesterday, Friday, was Eunice's wedding day.  Eunice is Jolly & George's daughter and she married Ronnie.  Just like a Canadian wedding, there was a lot of activity leading up to the big day.  There were four maids, and one matron of honour, and an assistant to the matron.  There were two little boys and a flower girl with the best man and groomsman.  The girls all slept over the night before so there was lots of laughter and joy in the house.

Early in the morning on the wedding day, everyone seemed to be awake and busy by 5:30 making breakfast which consisted of a maize porridge and African tea, plus Kotongo which is a favourite for breakfast.  It consists of the matoke bananas, some vegetables like onion, carrot, garlic and others, as well as some small pieces of beef or chicken, mixed with some water and Royco spice.  Royco is used in all soups and stews and is similar to bouillon cubes.  I have to say that it is very good and is my favourite way to eat matoke.

Then at 6:30 Ronnie's representatives came to "take Eunice away".  This is part of the custom whereby the bride to be is removed from her family home to get ready for the wedding.  She will never return to live with her parents.  So now there were five additional people sitting in the house and we all had some food together.  Then the girls all went to have their hair and make-up done.

The ceremony was scheduled for 12:00 noon and people gathered from everywhere all dressed in their finest.  It was a joyous day.

Church ceremony

Me with friends at reception

Reception held at the Mandella Stadium in the garden

Stage for the bridal party

Set-up in the garden where the bridal party will be escorted by the traditional dancers on the white carpet.

Wedding Cakes in the centre:  the tradition is that at the cake cutting ceremony the bride feeds the groom cake.  It is a bigger  ceremony than we do, and the bride and groom serve the parent's tables with small pieces of cut cake.  The bride's family sit on one side of the garden, and the groom's family sit on the other.  There are usually many cakes - 11 here I think - and the bride and groom deliver one whole cake to certain people who have supported them.  So cakes go to the families and other important people who helped and supported the bride and groom.

The entertainment were Traditional Dancers that "escorted" the bridal party into the reception.  

Traditional Dancers waiting for the bride & groom.  This part of the ceremony was vibrant, exciting, colourful, entertaining and quite magical.   I loved every moment of this and thought how special it made the bride & groom feel

Ronnie & Eunice finally enter...dancing all the way!  The happy parents below join them in the centre.

THE TRADITIONAL MUSICIANS & DANCERS called 'THE CRANE PERFORMERS'


There are large and small drums, shakers made out of gourds,
drums made out of very large gourds,
Adongu's  which look like an ancient harp - sizes small right up to the large base adongu in the last photo.
The music was fabulous, very rich and accompanied by the brightly coloured dancers.
I loved every minute of it.  I have great video of this event so stay tuned.

The Ugandans love to celebrate and everyone does it.  They celebrate any important occasion - weddings, births, graduations, deaths, birthdays, anniversaries and anything else that matters.  You are surrounded by ALL your family, friends, local community, village where you came from and everyone else in-between.  This is a wonderful custom!

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