Admin Posted August 26, 2015 When you are in Mogadishu and the television crew you are with asks whether you’d love to go to a wedding, while warning you that weddings here drag on, genders are separated and food takes ages before it’s served; you say a resounding yes, because you are here in search of stories such as these, and if anything, you’d love the whole nine yards. Amira Hotel is a fitting venue for this wedding, with an African ambiance that draws you in, the minute you arrive. The shape of one of the buildings coupled with the bamboo stick exterior as well as the palm trees with ripe fruits hanging, loops me in. We join the groups already milling around and strike conversation. I am asked a few minutes later if I’d like to eat and immediately whisked upstairs where I find plates already arranged and Somali ladies seated patiently. The ladies are elaborately garbed in wedding attendance attire; a kaleidoscope of colourful abayas and hijabs, with lots of jewelry on -gold rings, bangles, necklaces and beautifully decorated hennaed hands. The melange of strong perfume oils give out a heady mix of fragrances in the air. Uniformed waiters surface from the kitchen bearing jugs of fresh lemonade and watermelon juice which they swiftly place on each of the tables. Hardly a minute goes by before they return with platters of rice and macaroni which they serve the guests according to how much each desires to eat. The waiters return to the kitchen and now come out balancing meat platters consisting of grilled chicken and mutton, as well as different salads which they leave at the centre of each table. Everything tastes so good and in a few minutes, plates are cleared and we all troop downstairs to a separate hall where the performers are getting prepared. Somali music comes on and the performers dressed in bright red costumes dance in with their umbrellas. I enjoy their singing and dancing, but the arrival of bride Aniisa, electrifies the atmosphere. She dances in happily just behind her bridesmaids who are adorned in animal print dresses with their long black hair bouncing down to their shoulders in beautiful waves. We all follow the bride to the front of the room and dance with her. Its laughter and merriment, and after the bride and her maids sit down, the lead singer doles out beautiful tunes kicking up the performance a notch higher. The singer cum poet I’m told, is praising the families of the bride and groom, as she goes on for a few hours in rich oral tradition narrating their background and ancestry. The older ladies have so much fun that they often get up, dance to the front and spray the artistes with dollars and Somali shillings to show pleasure with their singing. After sometime, the bride and her entourage walk out to get changed, and get back to the hall with the groom. They are all dressed up in white and march slowly and purposefully under a white sheet held up for them by the bridesmaids and groomsmen. The oral tradition continues with the dance revolving around the concept of village activities; there’s the churning of milk, sifting of maize and pounding of grains. The poet takes the bowl of milk which she hands over to the groom. The groom and bride hold the bowl together and lovingly take sips from it, each helping the other. They are now man and wife in this symbolic act. Congratulations to the bride and groom: Abdinuur and Aniisa. I wish you many years of happily wedded bliss! Source: http://africanahgirl.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dhagax-Tuur Posted August 26, 2015 As. Very delighted for the young couple. The young bride's attire has less to be desired of, and marrying at the heart of Somali land, one would have expected youngsters to respect deen and cultural values. It just goes to show the powerful stranglehold Western mono culture has got on the rest of the world. It was heartwarming to see a recent wedding of Turkish couple who shared their wedding buffet/day with their displaced Syrian brothers and sisters. Imagine the need for that sort of gesture in Mogadishu, it would have been something for others to emulate. May Allah give them khair in their future. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gooni Posted August 27, 2015 stranger comes when they said gender separation, yet they can take butterfly picture and posted headline of the newspaper. si kastaba hambalyo allaha u asturo ninkaa dhalin yaradaa xaaskiisa una barakeeyo. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xabad Posted August 27, 2015 <cite> @Dhagax-Tuur said:</cite> As. The young bride's attire has less to be desired of, and marrying at the heart of Somali land, one would have expected youngsters to respect deen and cultural values. It just goes to show the powerful stranglehold Western mono culture has got on the rest of the world. Exactly! Never understood weddings. Why publicize whom you going to have sex with to multitudes, shouldn't it be private affair between two partners. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar Posted September 2, 2015 I saw the pictures of this wedding on my Facebook wall and apparently the bride is my brother's wife's daughter. Taloow maxaa isku nahnay? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nuune Posted September 2, 2015 <cite> @Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar said:</cite> I saw the pictures of this wedding on my Facebook wall and apparently the bride is my brother's wife's daughter. Taloow maxaa isku nahnay? Waxaa isku tihiin ilmo ayeeyo if not ilmo habreed-walaalo ama ilma aayo-dumaashiyeed. Af Soomaali ahaan, your brother's wife daughter: gewerta walaalkaa uu qabo ay dhashey ay ka sii dhashey gewer, or walaalkaa naagtiis gewertooda, or dumaashidaa walaalkeed walaalkaa gewertooda ama gewerteeda ay dhashey asi intey guursan ka hor ama gewertey isla dhaleen bacdaamaa ay is guursadeen. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tallaabo Posted September 3, 2015 <cite> @Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar said:</cite> I saw the pictures of this wedding on my Facebook wall and apparently the bride is my brother's wife's daughter. Taloow maxaa isku nahnay? Ilmo dumaashi laakiin waxa la dhahaa waa qaraabo qansax. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bluelicious Posted September 4, 2015 Great seeing a traditional Somali wedding. Loved the video and the interview, looked like a beautiful and fun party to attend. Congratulations to the couple. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ElPunto Posted September 7, 2015 The shared milk bowl and walking under the white sheet - is that really part of Somali tradition? I did not know that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar Posted September 8, 2015 <cite> @ElPunto said:</cite> The shared milk bowl and walking under the white sheet - is that really part of Somali tradition? I did not know that. Haa, it is. Walaashey guurkeeda oo hoteel Jubba ee Xamar ka dhacay sanadkii 1988 dhiisha ayee caanaha geel isku siiyeen, each taking a sip from dhiisha. They also wore the full hiddo iyo dhaqan attire, xataa tooreeyda wuu xirnaa the groom, albeit struggling while sitting down and standing up each time. In those days, in '80s, full hiddo iyo dhaqan aroos was quite rare. Maradaas cad dhulka la dhigay on this wedding waa iska camiraad koley, not dhaqan. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Holac Posted October 2, 2015 Why be half-naked in a traditional wedding in Mogadishu? To me, this doesn't make sense. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alpha Blondy Posted October 3, 2015 reer xamari weddings are decent but the buranbuur takes ages and should be limited to 30mins max. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alpha Blondy Posted October 3, 2015 <cite> @Holac said:</cite> Why be half-naked in a traditional wedding in Mogadishu? To me, this doesn't make sense. they think being scantily clad is progress. Xamari people are generally shallow. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
