Swahili Wedding Weekend

I just got back from Msambweni, where I attended my 4th Swahili wedding.  They never fail to be fun-filled experiences!  The bride was from my aunt's family from Diani Beach, and the groom was the step-son of another aunt of mine from Bomani, so it was a wonderful family affair that involved many of the extended relatives I'd met during my previous visits to the coast.

On Saturday, Mama and I went to Diani to join the bride's family (and well over a hundred other relatives and friends) in preparing for the wedding.  There was food to be blessed, coconuts to be grated, and dancing to enjoy, all made sweeter by the company and community gathered together.

On Saturday evening, we returned to Bomani to join the groom's family in dancing that lasted well into the night.  I got to practice my Taarab dancing, the traditional Digo/Swahili style, and enjoyed the evening of friendship and laughter.  Shangazi, my auntie who is the groom's mom, even made sure I got my feet painted with henna so I would fit in with the other guests who were all done up beautifully for the celebration.

Sunday morning everyone from the groom's family gathered at Bomani and took a group of matatus to Diani Beach where the wedding ceremony itself was to take place.  We brought our gifts, which were a mix of practical things like pots and pans for the couple's new house and some more decorative things like traditional Swahili ornaments for the house.

The ceremony itself takes place in a small room, and most of the guests just celebrate from outside.  After the vows, the guests take turns entering the room to give their blessings to the bride and groom and take pictures.

We then returned to the groom's home in Bomani for even more celebrating, eating, and dancing.  Even the littlest children were invited to this part of the ceremony and Suleiman LOVED seeing me dressed up in my Swahili finest.  It was truly a wonderful weekend!