The Yoruba Traditional Mariage
Marriage is an essential aspect in the history and culcure
of the Yoruba tribe. Yoruba is a widely known and recognized tribe in Nigeria.
The Yoruba traditional marriage also known as the Engagement ceremony or
Igbeyawo usually holds few days or weeks or even months before the main
wedding.
The entire procedures
are conducted by two representatives who are selected or hired by each side of
the family; The bride’s family is represented by the Alaga Ijoko (the sitting
MC) while the groom’s Family is represented by the AlagaI duro (the standing
MC).
The following are the key components in Yoruba traditional
marriage ceremony;
1. The Introduction
2.
Proposal and acceptance
3.
The engagement
4.
The groom’s entrance
5.
The bride’s entrance
6.
Choosing of engagement gift
7.
Exchange of engagement ring
8.
Bride price
9.
The cutting of engagement cake
10.
The handing over of the bride to her in-law
11. Feasting and partying
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| Beautiful Picture of Yoruba Culture |
Introduction
The Yoruba traditional marriage is of two stages which are
the introduction and the engagement.
The introduction ceremony is the first part of the
traditional marriage whereby the groom’s family introduces themselves to the
bride’s family and also to make their intentions known, through the help of the
Alaga Iduro representing the groom’s family. The ceremony takes place in the
bride's house who are also responsible for all preparations and costs.
Proposal And Acceptance
Everyone introduces themselves, and then some relatives from
the bride’s family (mostly females, either a sister or cousin) reads a letter
about the proposal presented by the groom’s family If approved, they give the
groom’s family a letter saying yes. A traditional marriage list will be given
to the groom’s family and then a date is fixed for the traditional marriage
engagement.
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| Traditional Marriage List |
The Engagement
The traditional engagement or marriage also takes place in
the bride’s house, here the groom’s family are expected to bring the items
listed in the marriage list given to them, items collected depends on each
family and these include yam, goat, box of clothes ,salt, fish, drinks, wine,
Qur’an or bible, rings and the likes.
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| Yoruba Traditional Marriage Items |
The Groom’s Entrance
The groom and his family and friends make a big entrance
with music and dancing. The sitting MC
meets them and asks why they’re there. The family explains that they want to marry
the bride then pays the entrance fee before entering the event center.
Upon entering, the groom danced with his friends. He makes
four rounds of prostrations in front of
his in-laws with his Family and friends and then alone. Both families extend
their hands for prayers for him as he prostrates. Finally, he makes his last
prostration in front of his relatives and sits.
The Bride’s Entrance
The bride, beautifully dressed in Asoeki and gele and also covered in a veil, enters with her bridesmaids.
It’s tradition for her to dance and show her happiness. She kneels first
before her parents who bless her, then proceeds to kneel before the groom’s
parents who do the same. After the unveiling of her face by her in-laws, she
joins her soon-to-be husband, kneels again, and they are both blessed. The
groom then gives her money, lifts her for everyone to see, and she places his
cap on his head. This cap-placing signifies she accepts his proposal.
Choosing The Engagement
Gift
After the couple have taken a seat, the Alaga Ijoko asks the
bride to choose one out of the several engagement gifts (Eru iyawo) that the
groom’s family has brought. The gifts were listed out by the brides family
during the introduction ceremony. Many items included in the Eru Iyawo have
special meaning.
The Exchange Of
Engagement Ring
It is expected of the bride to choose the Qur’an or bible,
depending on her religion, from the items brought in by the groom’s family.
This has the engagement rings in it. She presents her choice to her spouse with
pride then they both exchange rings and vows and hence are pronounced husband
and wife.
The Bride Price
Additionally, the bride price (dowry) and other fees
demanded from the groom’s family are presented to their new wife’s family.
The Cutting Of The
Engagement Cake
Without the engagement cake, a Yoruba traditional wedding
would not be complete. Although each person’s tastes are different, the cake
designed typically aims to capture aspects of the Yoruba culture, such as the
couple dressed in the traditional attire, the talking drum or a calabash. One
of the most significant parts of the wedding is when the bride and groom share
and cut the cake. All the families will co me together to take pictures with
the new couple in front of the cake.
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| The Yoruba Traditional Marriage Cake Cutting |
Handing Over The
Bride To Her In-Laws
Following the cake cutting, the bride’s family formally
gives their daughter to the father of the groom in front of all of the guests.
the groom’s family emerges as a group to express their gratitude to their
in-laws for giving out their daughter for them in marriage.
Feasting And Party
Ultimately, the final prayer will be said by the bride’s
father. Feasting and partying will begin with lots of love, greetings, eating,
snapping, music and dancing. The occasion will come to end at this stage.
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| Feasting and Partying |
In conclusion, the Yoruba traditional marriage entails some
customs which are adhered to which includes taking the bride-to-be, to the
fattening room where she is well fed and also taught how to be a good wife, she
is also cleansed by taking a special birth before going to the husbands house,
she must not also meet the husband in the house on arrival and her feet are
washed outside the house before going inside the husbands house, and she is
believed to enter into the house in peace after the feet washing