Traditional Marriage Ceremony

Greetings!!!
Its my pleasure to present this writing which discusses the processes involved in conducting a successful traditional marriage in Igbo Land.

Justin weds Chinenye 12th March 2022

God himself has ordained marriage as a sacred union. Aside from the two people's acceptance, there are a number of other steps that must be completed before the pair can be together. As we all know, this process varies depending on where you're from. However, I will try my best to guide you through the process of an Igbo traditional marriage. They first process involved after they acceptance of the two people is called the “Knocking on The Door” (Ikụ Aka n’ Uzo), then others follow;

Justin weds Chinenye 12th March 2022

“Knocking on The Door” (Ikụ Aka n’ Uzo)?
This is the process of revealing one's intentions. The groom, accompanied by his parents, elders, and family members, will proceed to the bride's home and inform the bride's family of their intention after pre-informing them of a specific date. On this first date of meeting, the groom's family arrives with some refreshments, which in Igbo can include a jar of palm wine and a few bottles of alcoholic beverages. The bride's family, along with a few other relatives, welcomes them warmly and offers them life (in Igbo land, it is stated that whoever brings kola brings life). Following the kola nut offering, the groom father will inform the bride's family of his son's intentions.

Family Background Check (Ijụ Ajụjụ)
The family background check begins as soon as the groom's family concludes their knocking on the door visit. The goal of this check is for both families to gain a better understanding of one another. This is usually done without the bride and groom's knowledge. The background check aids in the discovery of issues that may jeopardize the marriage and the search for a solution if the problem is manageable; otherwise, the marriage may be threatened. If everything appears to be in order, the marriage can proceed.

Follow up visit/collection of List
After both families have completed their background checks and are satisfied with their findings, the next phase, the follow-up visit, will be scheduled. This follow-up visit is to address the "Bridal List" that must be completed before the wedding can proceed. The bridal List contains various items required to be made available by the groom before the traditional marriage ceremony. However, items written on the list can be brought physically or be monetized depending on both parties’ agreement. Also, items on the list comprises of the demands of the bride’s parent, Umuadas’ (the Women), Umunna (the men), community and the youth.

Payment of Dowry/List Fulfilment (EGO ISI NWANYI)
Following the collection of the List, both families set a date for the payment of the dowry and completion of the items on the List. There is no predetermined amount for dowry in Igbo land. Lists, on the other hand, are created in response to village demand. In terms of dowry, both parents recognize the importance of supporting their children, hence any sum can be utilized as dowry. It should be noted that completing everything on the list is not mandatory. It all depends on how buoyant you are, as well as how understanding the family are.

The Traditional Marriage Ceremony (IGBA NKWU)

Justin weds Chinenye 12th March 2022
In Igbo Land, traditional marriage is known as Igba Nkwu. It's usually an open-to-all ceremony where the entire town gathers to honor both of their children. The wine carrying and marriage blessing are two important features of Igba Nkwu. The bride's father pours a cup of wine for her daughter to find her groom during the wedding. The bride dances with the cup of wine in her hand in search of the groom, and when she locates him, she kneels in front of him, takes a taste of the wine, and offers it to him. People celebrate as is customary, and both the groom and bride take to the dance floor

Justin weds Chinenye 12th March 2022