Wedding, Day 2.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

The wedding was still in full force when e got back to the homestead today just past noon. We had an impromptu worship service with our group and our hosts at the lodge this morning. Again, the sky is azure today and the air crisp and clear. There is an aroma here that is like none other I have experienced. I think it is the mix of wood smoke and coal, with which people cook and heat, but it is unique and smells like… well Africa.

I’m not sure how long into the night, nor what the events were since we had last been with the wedding party, but no one seemed worse for the wear. Other things that are universal… the longer a wedding party goes on the more likelihood someone gets juiced. However, Babe Gideon is a leader in the Zionist Church and an official of Kukhany O Kusha, our host church, and does not drink nor was alcohol served at the wedding. It was explained to us that everyone in the entire area had been invited to this celebration and some had chosen to bring home brew with then and had gotten drunk. This was no problem, but another example of the sharp dichotomy that exists in this country of extremes.

Again, we were greeted by the families of the wedding party and treated as if we were honored guests rather than intruders and tourists. I am forever humbled by the treatment we continually receive here. The father of the groom, Babe Gideon, explained to us that it was his honor to share this tribal tradition with us and his fear is that traditional weddings will die away as much of their rich tribal heritage seems to be doing resultant of the ravages of poverty, HIV/AIDS and drought. Another example of the extremes we see everywhere here.

At the point we rejoined the ceremony, the bride and her family were presenting their gifts to the groom and his family. Where Swaziland is a very male dominated culture, it was obvious today was about the mother of the groom. The rituals and dancing were all aimed at the bride winning favor of her mother-in-law. The bride prepared a mat and soft blanket on which the mother in law sat in the middle of those gathered, proba bly 200 or so people. While the bridal party sang and danced, the bride brought gifts and presented them to her mother in law.

This continued with the grooms father, then his brothers, the grooms brothers and eventually the groom being presented with gifts from the bride.

The accompaning singing and dancing I will truly never forget. The entire experience was an invitation to step into a heritage and culture and I will forever be grateful to the Dlamini family for this opportunity.

As things were winding down, we found Babe & Make Guideon to bid them farewell, however they insisted we stay just a moment longer and “take refreshment”. Again we were served pap, boiled meat with gravy and cooked vegetables, and again, that which we couldn’t eat was given to the children who wee patiently waiting for left overs.

The groom, Tokozani and his bride, Nqobeli joined Babe and Make Gideon and left their guests and walked with us to our cars and I was again humbled by the hospitality and gentle spirit of our hosts.