The most amazing part in the wedding ceremonies. The Kwanjula ceremony is a series of steps but thus very interesting.
The first step you have to see the Aunt who is chosen by that time onwards, then you are required to write a letter to the Ladies’ family (Abakulu) passing through the Aunt asking to be born in that family and also asking their daughter’s hand in marriage. This letter is supposed to be written in frequent Luganda as sign of showing and giving respect to the cultural rituals of Buganda and in-laws. After sending that letter you have to wait with patience until girl’s family agrees by writing back to the (Abakulu) of the boy’s family giving date, time you will official take their daughter, in that you are given a list of requirements that you will come along with in form of dowry and the number of people who will escort the groom on that everlasting memorable day.
After that the agreement the Kwanjula meeting starts on both sides so that they meet the demand of each other. This can take for something like a month and finally meet the agreed day and the bride’s side urge waiting for the groom. Most of the time the day before the really day is taken for Akasiki on both sides trying to enjoy the last memories before going to marriage officially, this is attended by the family members, friends and relatives on either sides.
In the morning as the bride groom start off their journey to where the function is to be held in order not to come late to be quoted and to question our spokesman by the spokesman from the bride’s family hence showing discipline. You must report with the exact number of people being asked for during the agreement time and the spokesman on the groom’s side must be wise or else every incorrect answer or poorly answered question must pay a fine. The counting of the members is done through the joke quiz of girls-nurses that come putting tags on the grooms or after sitting when everybody is comfortable without anyone missing a seat. Always the groom seats behind.
Immediately after their arrival the groom together with their elders enters the bride’s house to do introduction customs into the family then after serving of the food starts and for them they eat from inside the main house after come back in order to officially open up the function without anyone hungry. As the function starts by a set of pretty girls and boys of different ages coming at different interval to greet the guests and it is done locally in Kiganda way. Come dancing on different songs to entertain the guests.
After the Aunties will come and in them there is the so-called Senga w’ensonga who knows everything about the guest and why they are gathered that day. At times the spokesman can tease the senga through first asking other sengas and they deny until they reach to the exact one but this puts the groom on tension praying so hard neither to be chased nor sent back without the bride. But after the senga putting the microphone and confirms that they are guest in that family after a long silence the heart of the groom come done. Then the sengas goes back and come back with the bride hence seeing the groom putting on a smile on the face. The senga w’ensonga accompanied by another senga moves towards the groom squeezing herself to go looking for the groom.
After identifying the groom senga holds him up and take him in front in the special seat they reserved for him and his best man. Then senga announces the groom behalf of her daughter and usually is accompanied with a loud clap on both sides. The senga goes back and comes back again with their bride still, this time round the groom’s sisters (Bamulamu) come with flowers of different colours and fresh fruits in the basket that they use to define that much love on behalf their brother and they give the bride hugs and go back to together to the groom where is seated. Then the groom’s family start bringing things that they asked for by the bride’s family, in this they are some things that can’t like the Buganda Certificates that shows respect to the Buganda kingdom, cultural practices and other rituals then other things follow which we call the BRIDE PRICE. Most of the people minimize that thing but it means and reads a lot on the elders’ side since it shows ability and the wealthy if you will be able to look after their daughter well.
After the bride comes back to cut the cake with her brother, served and then exchange the rings as a sign that each one is waiting for another until the day of wedding going to the church or mosque to make the vows to each other that they will stand by sides of each other. Waiting for the wedding day……………………..
