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Hello everyone!
Today I'm very happy to share with you how traditional marriages are being done in my tribe which is the Yoruba, one of major tribe in Nigeria.
Guys let me now show you
** How Traditional Marriage In Yoruba Land is done**
In Nigeria my country the Yorubas are one of the major ethnic group in Nigeria, which consists of many states, Oyo, Osun(my state),Ogun,Ondo,Ekiti and Lagos state.
In this Yoruba culture there are some rites that a man is suppose to perform or must be carried out before a man can call the woman his wife.
If you luckily find a Yoruba damsel, be ready to spend and perform the necessary things.
When you have made up your mind to marry her
The Man meets with his family
You start by informing your family or kindred. You make this choice, inform your family and investigation will be carried out, then there will be a selection of a middleman called Alarina in Yoruba, This Alarina acts as the middleman and he will start making the marriage process.
The Alarina will inquire all things and check for anything that will give the man and his family in a bad reputation if their son get married to the maiden, This could be illness or trait that they want in the family. If this investigation turn out to br successful then the marriage process can continue, if not the marriage process will be cut-off.
Meeting with the bride to be family
This meeting is known as Momi N Mo in Yoruba. Having find the daughter qualified to be the man's wife, the man or groom and his family start making preparations for a meeting with the bride's family for the first time. This meeting is usually held in the bride's family house with the bride's kinsmen also.
After the meeting, there will be another arrangements for a formal meeting, this is know as the Introduction Ceremony, this does not involve kinsmen of both family or the Alarina again.
The bride's family is expected to provide bridal list known as Eru Iyawo in Yoruba. In this meeting the date of traditional marriage is also set.
The Eru Iyawo(Bridal list)
These consists of items that must be brought by the groom.
Bitter Kola,Kolanut, 42 tubers of Yam, Palm oil and vegetable oil, big bottle of Honey, Alligator pepper(40 prices), sugar cane, Different kinds of fruit, cow or goat, Salt, Alcoholic drinks, the bride price know as Owo Ori, smoked fish and 1 dish of peppered corn meal (adun),crates of drinks, bag of rice, big suttcase containing shoes and matching bags, complete jewelry set with wrist watch,earings and necklaces, and Engagement ring.
The Traditional Engagement Ceremony
This is the traditional marriage ceremony day, people are invited to come witness.
On the day the ceremony is anchored by the Alaga Ijoko which is usually a female from the brides family and the Alaga Iduro Who's from the groom's family.
On the ceremony day Alaga Idoru bring in the groom and his people to the place, the groom's family is usually barred from entering by the Alaga Ijoko, but will be given money then afterwards the groom and his people are allow to come in singing and dancing their way in.
They head over to the family of the bride and greet them, the groom is expected to postrate, after then the youngest female from the bride's family will read out the letter which was given earlier by the groom's family when asking for their daughters hand in marriage.
Then the groom is expected to officially make his intention known and ask for the bride's hand in marriage. The bride is not present yet during this process. She will then dance out with her group of friends escorting her to the ground.
She first go to her parents kneel down, her parents will pray for her and she will also do the same thing to the groom's parents and they will unveil her.
In order to show acceptance of the proposal, the bride is expected to dress her husband up with the traditional Yoruba cap known as Fila.
The Alaga Ijoko insructs the bride to go and pick the most valuable item from wher the bridal items are kept, which is usually the ring, she will then give it to the groom to fix it in her finger while she does the same. The process at this point, has made it obvious that they are both ready for marriage.
Dowry is then handed over to the groom who receives it and take just a little out of it and return it back saying they don't want money, they just their daughter to be taken care of. At this point marks the end of the marriage rites.
Afterwards, there will be partying and lot's of food to eat.
Thank you for reading.
I would love to read my fellow Hivers way of traditional marrige ceremony in their tribe.