The Ethiopian Traditional Wedding Ceremony – 10 Interesting Facts!
The historical ties that Ethiopia shares with Christianity, Judaism and Islam have greatly influenced its cultural practices and customs. As such, the Ethiopian traditional wedding ceremony has evolved into a combination of native customs and religious influences. Below is a list of interesting facts surrounding the Ethiopia traditional wedding.
- Choosing a Bride
- Previously, most young men would marry at 30. Currently, however, the search for a bride starts when the boy is 18 years old. The parents of the young man look for a suitable bride for him, based on their expectations and family values. If the family has a Christian background, they will search for a young woman who is a virgin. Most brides, therefore, tend to be much younger than their husbands are.
- Investigation
- The young man’s family ensures that the family of the bride and groom are not related by blood. To confirm this, they would previously search through at least seven generations of family lineage. At present, a five-generation search is sufficient.
- The Mediator
- A mediator is a critical individual in the Ethiopian traditional wedding, as he bridges the gap between the two families. Once the man’s family has identified a prospective bride, they send a mediator to the young woman’s parents to declare their intentions. After hearing what the mediator has to say, the woman’s parents will impose a few conditions for the young man’s parents to meet. The mediator conveys this message to the man’s family. Arrangements for the date and place of the next meeting are also sent to the mediator, who relays the information to the groom’s parents.
- Wedding Date
- Once the conditions set by the bride’s family are met, and both families agree, the young man and woman are declared engaged, and the wedding date is set.
- The First Meeting
- Interestingly, the bride and groom meet for the first time on the wedding day! Before then, all each one knows is that they are to be married on a specific day!
- Expenses
- According to Ethiopian traditional wedding practices, both sets of parents pay for the wedding of their children. They arrange to prepare the refreshments for the wedding, ensuring that there is lots of meat and traditional delicacies available!
- Wedding Ceremony
- The ceremony begins with lots of music and dancing. After this, the bride’s family presents dowry to the groom’s family, consisting of money, cattle, and other valuables. In some cultures, however, the groom’s family pays bride price.
- Breaking Virginity
- At the end of the grand wedding ceremony, the groom takes his bride to his parent’s home. While there, he is expected to take his bride’s virginity within three days and provide the evidence!
- Honeymoon
- After the Ethiopian traditional wedding ceremony is complete, the couple does not get to fly off to an undisclosed destination. Instead, they spend their honeymoon at the home of the groom’s parents, staying there for between one week and three months. The best man (or men) accompanies the couple, and stay with them for the entire duration. During the honeymoon period, the bride is only permitted to leave the house after sunset.
- Visit to the Brides Home
- When the honeymoon period ends, the couple packs up their things and travel to the bride’s family home to visit. The duration of the visit is usually specified, depending on the agreement reached between the two families.
Though the Ethiopian traditional wedding ceremony seems complicated, it is enjoyable for all who witness and participate in it. If you intend to get married soon, plan to incorporate some of these exciting practices in your ceremony!