A Big Fat African Wedding

I have just been to THE social event of the year in Nyangao – the wedding of one of the lab staff to his fiancé.  I did not know what to expect but it turned out to be the biggest wedding I have ever been to, and has dispelled a few of the myths or assumptions that we hold about Tanzanians!

  It has dispelled the myth that Tanzanians cannot forward plan since I have seen the months of planning, the timetables and the meetings of the wedding committee.  The contribution cards were distributed months ago (In Tanzania you pay a contribution of 15-30000 shillings to attend the wedding which I think is a good idea given the massive expense of a wedding), and the invitation pens were sent out to the attendees (a pen with a pull-out invitation strip.. how cool!)

The party started the night before the wedding, with a house a few doors down which I think must have been hosting the “hen do”, lots of music, lots of shouting and lots of ululating all night until 7am!

The big day arrived and Claire and I duly turned up at the church on time… but in typical Tanzanian fashion, except for the choir (including Sandra who has joined the choir) who were still rehearsing and a few children who had come for the spectacle there was nobody else there!

 Half an hour later the guests start arriving and after another half an hour the wedding procession arrives complete with brass band on the back of a lorry!  

The Groom's party.... great suits!

 

The church service was similar to a service in the UK, except it was 3 hours long and in Swahili, although it was made more interesting by the crazy woman who kept running down the isle and ululating (I think she probably had one too many coconut wines at the party the night before).

 The evening reception was held in a massive hall in the middle of the bush about 5km from the hospital.  We arrived late thinking that so will everyone else, but no – we had to join the queue of around 30 people waiting to get in and get their vouchers for food and drinks! (Myth 2 :  Tanzanians are always late.  Myth 3:  Tanzanians can’t queue…. Obviously not when there is a party and food involved!)

Quite a cake!

The hall was decorated beautifully, with colour co-ordinated drapes, fairy lights, flowers, a cake which looked like it should have planning permission and a huge soundsystem that would not be out of place in a field in Somerset.  

We wazungu duly joined another queue to exchange our vouchers for warm beers and then sat, feeling slightly mis-dressed as we had all opted to wear African print fabrics, whilst the Africans were mostly in “western” style clothes!
 

 

The bride and groom eventually arrived in the hall and danced down the aisle with the page boys and bridesmaids whilst being showered with glitter and fake snow spray accompanied by much music, dancing and lots more ululating.

The Happy Couple

The organising continued throughout the evening with a timetable of events given to each guest, but in true Tanzanian fashion it was running late (Myth confirmed:   everything runs late.  The timetable included choreographed dance from the bridesmaids and page boys…
 

 Followed by introductions of the Groom’s family (they each stand up and wave), introduction of the bride’s family (they each stand up and wave)…

......cutting of the cake and feeding of cake to bride and groom…. 

 ......Opening of the champagne…All the guests dancing conga style past the bride and groom to clink glasses and bottles…. and then the present giving.   
 

The present giving was also organised, with each group of people dancing past the bride and groom to hand over their presents of cookware, house items, clothing, even a double bed and mattress was danced down the hall and handed to the happy couple.  Lucky me got to dance past them twice, once with the wazungu and once with the lab staff!

Dancing with the Lab staff

The Mattress Dance

 Finally at about 10pm and 2 hours late it was time for food, and another queue.  And after 4 warm beers on an empty stomach, a big plate of rice and chicken was much needed!   

Come midnight we made an exit, but in true Tanzania style the partying continued until the early hours.  

 

So I learned that organisation and queuing are possible although lateness seems inherent, that weddings are an expensive affair all over the world, but above all, I learned that Tanzanians know how to party!