The morning of the wedding

Messing up traditional expectations is one of those things that will mess up your day. Yet, little known about is the cultural expectations from different tribes the morning of the wedding day when a bride leaves her parents home to be married. Christine Katende explores different cultural expectations.

The water that is used to bath the bride is always mixed with raw pawpaws to brighten her skin. Because all the wedding preparations on the bride are supposed to be done from home, the aunt dresses up the bride as her matron applies makeup on her face. Then, her brother takes her to the church and hands her over to the husband.

Charles Okello, Lango
The aunt wakes up very early and bathes the bride. In this, she is shown how, as a married woman, she should take care of her personal hygiene. The aunt also takes time to comfort her so that she does not panic, advises her on how to control herself in cases where the husband wrongs her, and the like.

By 7am, the aunt takes the bride to the salon before she is taken to church to take her vows. But, usually before that day, in-laws from both sides meet at the groom’s parents’ home and discuss their children’s lives. It is in this meeting that the couple is advised on how to conduct themselves in a marriage.

Most important is that the couple keep away from each other three days before the wedding.

Rachel Nabirye, Busoga
This is largely similar to that of the Baganda. The bride is kept indoors for a week, during which her aunt teaches her about marital responsibilities and virtues of self-conduct, husband respect, among others. Early that morning, breakfast is prepared for her before the husband comes to take her. Usually, the in-laws to be bring paraffin, a lamp and a match box as a sign of thanks. This indicates that her parents used to spend money on such things while raising her and now, they bring them to show their gratitude.

The bride is handed over to the man to be taken to the salon after handing these items over to parents. But before the in-laws come in, the bride sits on parents’ laps as they give her their final words of wisdom. Then, is when it is imparted on her that she is now grown up and married, and should conduct herself as thus.

ckatende@ug.nationmedia.com