By Maria Immaculate Owechi
During traditional introduction ceremony, the groom is expected to bring bride price comprising of different items to his in-laws, but what does a bride bring to the table? My Wedding contacted Twaha Mukisa, a traditional ceremonial spokesperson, and we found out what the bride’s side has to offer to the groom during the traditional ceremony.
Most cultures
Twaha explains that the bride’s family has to invest in preparing the venue that provides an ambiance convenient for the function, hire professional service providers, agree on the program line up and prepare for any emergencies like rain that may disrupt the ceremony.
He says that a groom may fund a percentage of the party preparations at the bride’s if his entourage will be too big for them accommodate or his wife’s family are not well off.
However, Ms Teo Kusasira, a professional ssenga and a preacher at Holiness Christ Church, Entebbe, says organizing the venue to accommodate the groom’s entourage should solely be the responsibility of the bride’s family.
“In the past, it was heard that the man made any contributions to the preparation of the function, his wife’s family would be under looked in the community.”
“In fact in those days, the groom’s entourage had a small manageable number that his in-laws could easily accommodate. These comprised of the spokesperson, his brother, sister and the paternal uncle and aunt,” she explains.
In Central Uganda
In modern introduction ceremonies, the brides in buganda carry a well decorated basket with fruits, wine or soda as a present to thank the groom for fulfilling his promise of paying her bride price. This basket is known as Kabbo k’omuwala.
Twaha explains that this is something done out of courtesy and has been adopted in this era but in the kiganda tradition, it is not a cultural obligation for the bride’s family to offer any gifts.
“The only gift she can offer to her in-laws is by being properly nurtured to be a good wife in order to look after her husband, future children and nicely set up her home,” he says.
Ssenga Teo adds that it is for this reason that when the girl became a teenager, she was taken to the paternal aunt’s place to ensure she remains a virgin, she visits the bush to elongate her labia so that she can maximize pleasure for her husband in bed and also taught how to cook special meals like luwombo and culturally steamed matooke. Click to read more…
