Olaoluwa Olowu
A Nigerian wedding party can never be
mistaken with any other because when we party, we go big all the way.
A wedding ceremony is often a public display
of marriage vows but here in Nigeria it goes beyond the vows.
Traditional wedding in Nigeria is a ceremony
done indigenously to signify the joining of the bride and groom as well as the
acceptance of the union by their parents and family members.
All traditional Nigerian weddings are
characterized by a large wedding reception where the crowd from the wedding
ceremony increases.
Other than the large crowd, there are other
trends that are peculiar to Nigerian weddings.
We have put together a list of traditional
wedding trends in Nigeria.
1.
ASO
OKE
This is a traditionally hand woven thick
cloth made from cotton yards and wild silk of different colors. It is worn by
the bride and groom at the traditional wedding and may be used as the material
for the bride's head gear.
For the bride's garment it usually consists
of four parts; The blouse, the wrap around, the head tie and the shoulder
sash.
This even gets better, it comes in rich,
vibrant colors with perforated patterns that create beautiful designs.
2.
HEAD
GEAR "GÉLÉ"
It is an important part of the bride's
traditional attire. It is made from different materials and may correlate with
the color scheme of the bride's outfit. It is tied on the bride's head and
comes in different shapes and designs.
In recent times, there have been
altercations to the traditional methods of gélé tying. Modern styles and
techniques have been introduced to this antique essential of traditional
weddings in Nigeria.
3.
TRADITIONAL
BEADS
These are peculiar to each ethnic group in
Nigeria. The different groups have their own styles and colors in which their
traditional wedding beads are made.
They are worn by the couple on their hands,
necks, feet and sometimes on their heads. They add the final touch to the
outfit if the couple.
Occasionally, the parents of the couple also
put on beads.
4.
ASO
EBI
This is a timeless and invaluable trend in
Nigerian traditional weddings. It is a uniform attire worn primarily by the
couple's family and close friends. It is also made available to interested
guests and is expected to be worn at the ceremony and reception.
'Aso ebi' ranges through all kinds of
materials. The material is for the 'Aso Ebi' is usually selected by the female
relatives of the couple. The design-styles are usually decided individually or
by a group of friends or relatives. Modern styles have been incorporated into
Aso Ebi designs.
5.
COLOR
SCHEME
Every traditional wedding ceremony in
Nigeria has a color scheme. The decorations and outfits reflect these colors
and guests who did not get 'Aso Ebi' are inclined to dress according to the color
scheme of the day. The couple may be dressed in colors that are not a part of
the color scheme but no matter what they must stand out and look glamorous-
after all, it is THEIR day.
6.
ENGAGEMENT
LIST
This is a list consisting of a wide range of
items that the groom is expected to bring to the traditional wedding. It is
compiled by the bride's family members-mostly male and it is given to the bride
after the introduction (if there was an introduction before the engagement).
The items are expected to help ease the
bride into the transition from daughter to wife. Some items on the list have
traditional and religious significance like kolanut for long life and
strength.
These are an important trend for traditional
weddings in Nigeria. They are photoshoots that are done weeks or months before
the wedding day and the pictures are usually used for invitation cards and
souvenirs. Pictures from the pre-wedding photoshoots are also used for the
wedding photo album.
References:
Wedding Feferity:
Wedding Feferity:
The Guardian:
Resources:
Pinterest :
Pinterest :
Jiji:
No comments:
Post a Comment