Wedding customs and culture in Niger
In Niger, located on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert, there are about 1.5 million nomads among the country's 6 million people. These people who have made a living by animal husbandry since ancient times do not have a fixed place to live. They have been migrating for months and months, living by water and grass. Long-term nomadic life has developed a strong collective concept and spirit of unity and mutual assistance among the nomadic people. Every year, they hold a grand collective wedding in the desert "oasis". This kind of love ceremony in the desert fully demonstrates the simple and simple nature of the nomads and their rough and bold feelings.
In the southern edge of the Sahara Desert, the climate is hot and desolate, and the life of nomads is extremely difficult. However, from November to March of the following year, the golden season enters. Especially after several consecutive rains, the wind is gentle and the sun is beautiful, the air is fresh, cool and pleasant, the withered vegetation gradually recovers, and large areas appear in the yellow wilderness. An "oasis" covered with flowers and tender grass. Nomads scattered all year round gather in groups to the "oasis" to allow their livestock to drink water and eat grass, while the herdsmen hold traditional collective weddings.
Many herdsmen traveled long distances to attend the grand event. During the journey, every 30 herdsmen were led by a small chief, and every 30 small chiefs were commanded by a large chief. Every time they arrived at a camping site, each family erected several wooden piles on the ground and set up a simple tent. As night fell, families lit bonfires in front of their tents, and people visited each other.
When people from all walks of life come to the "oasis" where they gather every year, families set up camp, almost forming a circle among each family. Those families who are preparing to marry a girl or a daughter-in-law have more particular tents set up, with colorful flags floating around them, and ribbons hanging on the entrance and exit doors. When you enter the camp, you can tell at a glance which one has a happy event. There are fierce bonfires burning day and night in the center of each camp. Collective weddings generally last for seven days. The first six days are basically for men and women to find each other for a good spouse, and the last day is a ceremony. During this period, happy activities were generally held at night and rested during the day.
Those girls looking for the right person wear long skirts, colorful smocks, and colorful head heads, which are eye-catching and unique. The young men who hope to find a sweetheart are all dressed up in "beautiful clothes". They wear a flowered shirt on the upper body and a hide apron on the lower body. They are painted with black and white patterns. They wear feathers of various colors on their heads, a necklace made of malachite or ivory is hung around their necks, a copper belt is tied around their waists, and a string of shells, animal bone fragments and small metal bells are wrapped around their wrists and ankles. When they walk, they make a pleasant sound, feathers, The animal skin fluttered like colorful clouds, which was dazzling and refreshing.
Song and dance throughout the event. In the evening, people gathered around a bonfire, and the chief of the family who first arrived at the "oasis" presided over the ceremony. First, he prayed to Allah, and then the exciting drum sounds. Young men and women danced to the beat of the drums and expressed their inner emotions with the help of ever-changing dance movements. Old people, women, and children gathered around to watch, cheering and cheering the dancers from time to time, and responded with warm applause to cheer up the fun. Sometimes, a group of singing and dancing girls surround several dancing young men in the center to build a human wall. They observe carefully and silently choose their favorite person; sometimes, several young men dance and surround several girls, make intimate gestures towards them and choose their sweetheart. Late at night, the weather turned cooler and entertainment activities were temporarily over. At this time, each young man walked up to the girl they had chosen, greeted her, and asked the girl how well they danced. If the girl warmly returns the favor and praises each other for her excellent dancing and her favorite, it means that the two sides have fallen in love with each other and are a satisfactory couple. At this time, under the cover of night, lovers walked out of the "oasis" in pairs, found a suitable place in the desert, and talked sweetly about love. During the six-day marriage proposal event, young men and women who reached marriageable age and wished to start a family were basically able to tie the knot.
After young men and women choose who they like, they report to their parents, who will observe the partner of their children the next day and try to inquire about each other's situation in order to decide whether to agree to their children's marriage. Once the man's parents decided to marry the girl his son was interested in as a daughter-in-law, they brought gifts to visit the woman's parents. The woman's parents also agreed to the marriage, and the two parties agreed on the issue of betrothal gifts. In the past, the betrothal gifts usually consisted of a few sheep or a few cattle. Today, most betrothal gifts are a certain amount of money. Compared with other places in Africa, the nomadic people of Niger pay less betrothal gifts because the woman's parents do not want to make a fortune by marrying their daughter. Therefore, it is not very difficult for parents of both parties to reach an agreement on the issue of betrothal gifts. Subsequently, the man paid the bride price to the woman in accordance with the agreed amount, and the marriage was settled.
On the last day of the party, a collective wedding ceremony was held. It was the most lively day during the entire party and the happiest day for people. This kind of collective wedding is attended by at least more than 10 newlyweds to at most dozens of couples. The ceremony is grand and majestic. During the day, all families with daughter-in-law joined forces to prepare for the wedding banquet. Each family contributed a few sheep. The men were responsible for slaughtering, peeling, and dividing the sheep. The women were busy cooking mutton, cooking mutton pilaf, kebabs, and preparing dairy products, drinks, etc. In the evening, people gathered together with pairs of brideoms and brides in an open space, and the chief of the marriage was the chief of the family who first arrived at the "oasis". After a burst of high-spirited drums, the chief dressed in traditional costumes and holding a scepter announced the beginning of the ceremony. The first content was that under the leadership of the chief, the newlyweds and everyone present knelt on their knees and faced Mecca. Pray piously and pray that Allah would bless the newlyweds happily and grow old together. The second content is that the newlyweds pay tribute to the chief who presided over the ceremony, and then pay homage to the chief and chief of the family. If the man and the woman belong to two families, they must pay tribute respectively, first to the man, then to the woman, and finally to their parents, relatives, friends and guests. People have given gifts or coins to the newlyweds to express their congratulations. The newlyweds 'thanks ceremony ended, and the guests were invited to attend the wedding banquet. Each family sat in a circle under the leadership of their respective chiefs. A group of young girls in gorgeous costumes held silver plates in their hands and continuously delivered delicious food to people. After the people had enough food and drink, the bridegroom and bride danced with the crowd and sang to their heart's content. The collective wedding event lasted until the next morning. After the lively party, the groom, accompanied by the bride, came to the woman's family and bid farewell to his father-in-law, mother-in-law, and family members. The groom bid farewell to his father-in-law and returned to his family with his newlywed wife. He drove cattle and sheep with the others to find an ideal grazing place.
Niger has a settled population of about 4.5 million, scattered in towns and rural areas. These people are mainly Hausa and Jerma-Sanghai, the vast majority of whom believe in Islam and practice traditional polygamy. The wedding customs of these people not only maintain traditional African concepts, but also reflect the unique colors of Niger.
In Niger, with the progress of society and the influence of modern civilization, the marriage of young men and women is no longer the traditional practice of "letting their parents decide and relying on matchmaker's words." They can build feelings and organize families through working life, social interactions, mutual contact, mutual understanding. However, things such as betrothal, gift giving, and weddings must be reported to parents in advance and their consent must be obtained, and these things in many families are handled by parents.
The young man fell in love with a certain girl, and the girl also had a good impression on the young man, so the young man's parents asked someone to bring gifts to the woman's house and propose to inquire about the woman's parents 'attitude towards the marriage. If the woman's parents agree, the man's parents will take a basket of coragos and a certain amount of cash to visit the woman's parents to formally discuss their children's marriage. In Niger, corago is indispensable for marriage proposals, betrothal and marriage occasions. This kind of fruit is regarded as the "fruit of love" and "fruit of happiness" locally. When the parents of the man and the woman reach an agreement on the marriage, they negotiate a date for the wedding.
Niger people are generous and happy to make friends. When a certain family holds a wedding, it is always full of guests. The weddings of Niger people vary depending on their family economic status, but the content of the wedding ceremony is roughly the same. The most solemn moment in the ceremony is the wedding banquet. A must-have delicacy at the banquet is roast whole sheep.
At the beginning of the banquet, the groom held a sharp knife, cut off pieces of roast meat and put them on the guests 'plates, while the bride invited the guests to take whatever they liked. The guests lined up in a long line, with the ladies in front and the men behind, took their own plates, knives and forks, and took their own food. Then they formed a circle and talked while eating. The scene was grand, the atmosphere was warm, and the demeanor was elegant. At the end of the banquet, the bride and groom, together with the guests, surrounded the bonfire and danced a happy African dance amidst the rhythmic drum drums, which lasted until late at night. When guests bid farewell, they congratulate the newlyweds in order of age and status, and present commemorative gifts or wedding cash. The bride and groom bowed to the guests one by one to express their heartfelt thanks. After seeing off the guests, the newlyweds returned to the living room, saluted and thanked their parents, expressed gratitude to all relatives, and then entered the bridal chamber to spend the happy moment.