wolof wedding traditions

This is IvyPanda's free database of academic paper samples. An intriguing aspect of these arrangements was that the intervention of diviners was sought to determine if the marriage was feasible before marriage actually took place (Gamble et al. [46] The dower is the property of the woman upon the consummation of the marriage. We waited several hours for the wedding party to return. Most of the socializing at the wedding was done in Wolof, a language of Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania. Also known as a bridal registry, it was a way for the couple to choose their fine china and silver for their big day. In the Gambia, they are a minority. Saturday is the unluckiest wedding day, according to English folklore. Back then, it was customary for a bride to toss her garter to a crowd of men at the wedding party. Print. 31). Marry me in Africa: African Foundations, Bloomington: AuthorHouse, 2012. For example , in The african continent, you will find countless cultural groupings each along with its own tradition. The tradition of having groomsmen as part of the wedding, comes from the ancient tradition of kidnapping the bride. Their total population exceeds 6 million in the three countries. The symbolism of the color blue dates back to early Christianity, when the color was associated with the Virgin Mary, who is often depicted wearing a blue robe. Southern folklore says that to prevent rain on your big day, you should bury the beverage upside down at the wedding site one month before and dig it up after the ceremony to enjoy. Roter Wedding (GC3D529) was created by sashito on 2/22/2012. The cultures associated with the different cultural groupings have already been a topic of study for a long period. "The Marriage Traditions of Wolof Culture." These acts gave the girls family room to assess the character of their prospective in-law. Print. In order to form a strong and stable family among the Wolof, it was traditionally believed that cross-cousin marriage (young man marrying a maternal uncles daughter) was the best form of marriage (Gamble et al. [8], According to David Gamble, the pre-Islamic beliefs of Wolof may be reflected and absorbed in the Sufi beliefs about good and bad spirits (jinn), amulets, dances, and other rituals. The suitor firsts gifts his potential bride with a chain, marking his interest in her. If a marriage takes place across this social system without the knowledge of those involved and the truth comes out later, a divorce is inevitable. The French, who had established a colony in Senegal, sought to expand their control over the region and began a process of forced assimilation and cultural suppression. Many of these customs have stood the test of time and have evolved into the wedding traditions we are familiar with today. One longstanding wedding tradition revolves around a bride's attire. Rice and other grains have long been regarded as signs of prosperity and fertility. Falola, Toyin; Salm, Steven J. Urbanization and African cultures. Linguistic Taboo inside African Marriage Platform: Research from the specific Oromo Laguu. When she moves, the tinkling sound is supposed to deflect. November 28, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-marriage-traditions-of-wolof-culture/. [7], Their early history is unclear. 31). Queen Victoria's wedding cake weighed a whopping 300 pounds. IvyPanda. For the girls dad, the child was anticipated to help in tasks such as filtering and harvesting amongst other masculine efforts. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Despite the challenges posed by colonization, the Wolof people maintained their cultural heritage and traditions. As will certainly be expected associated with some other lady worldwide, Wolof ladies show envy in the direction of their co-wives plus rivalry amongst co-wives is really a frequent see. [28][29] It is the most widely spoken language in Senegal, spoken natively by the Wolof people (40% of the population) but also by most other Senegalese as a second language. In Nigeria, the Igbo bless the newlywed couple by throwing bank notes on them or rubbing their foreheads with banknotes, expressing the prosperous future they hope the couple shares. Consequently, most cultures exhibit elements of different cultures from other parts of the world. The Wolof constitute a large ethnic group inhabiting the West African country of Senegal, a former French colony, and Gambia, a former British colony. A compound is sometimes fenced with a hedge made from reeds or millet-stalk. Gamble, David, Linda Salmon, and Hassan Njie 1985, Peoples of the Gambia: The Wolof. [7][8] The Wolof belonged to the medieval-era Wolof Empire of the Senegambia region. President Muhammadu Buhari Your privacy is extremely important to us. IvyPanda. Similarly, a West African rice dish is known in English as Jollof rice. Governor Willie Obiano The Wolof people are the largest ethnic grouping in Senegal (35% of the Senegalese populace) and in Gambia they are about 12% of the Gambian populace. [43][44], Marriages are endogamous. [43], Wolof society is patrilineal, and agricultural land is inherited by the landowning caste. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply, Are you sure? The wedding party might then escape in order to the grooms substance. The Wolof people are the largest ethnic group in Senegal, particularly concentrated in its northwestern region near the Senegal River and the Gambia River. Web. prayer (Senegal is a predominantly Muslim country). [7], The Wolof people, like other West African ethnic groups, historically maintained a rigid, endogamous social stratification that included nobility, clerics, castes, and slaves. Print. This role belongs to a caste and has been hereditary. Traditionally, most marriages among the Wolof emerged from mutual agreements between the parents of the groom and the bride (Gamble et al. In the Wolof tribe there is even a time where the elders of the village gather with the bride and give advice and gifts. IvyPanda. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you [16] The documented history, from 15th-century onwards, is a complex story of the rivalry between powerful families, wars, coups and conquests in Wolof society.[18]. [8] In the 19th century, as the colonial French forces launched a war against the Wolof kingdoms, the Wolof people resisted the French and converted to Islam. Federal Government inec Although it allowed for a young man to marry a paternal aunts daughter. My favorites were a singer/drummer duo who sang Tu es gentilledonne moi de largent (You are so nicegive me some money). Later politico-religious changes, such as those brought during the Wolof Empire era, introduced major changes in the social structure among the Wolofs and many other ethnic groups, including a shift to a patrilineal system. Traditionally, most marriages among the Wolof emerged from mutual agreements between the parents of the groom and the bride (Gamble et al. US Extends Visa Validity For Nigerians To Five Again, R. Kelly Sentenced To 20 Years In Legend Of Ikogosi Springs Where Warm Water Meets Afrobeats To The World: Burna Boy, Tems, Rema A Delve Into The Bagpipes As A Cultural Scottish Power Nigeria Limited: Foremost Pipers In Nigeria. This assertion implies that to the Wolof people, a family is an important unit, which forms a building block for other social units into which the Wolof society is organized. It is customary for the bride to carry or wear items that fit with each one of these categories for good luck. Print. The now-traditional wedding favor of five Jordan almonds symbolizes five wishes for the newlyweds of health, wealth, happiness, fertility, and longevity. Although this scenario has slightly changed with time, this practice is still prevalent in rural areas albeit with some minor adjustments. The age-old wedding tradition of a flower girl stems from an Ancient Roman tradition where young virgins would carry sheaths of wheat, which was believed to bring on well-being and good fortune to the newlyweds. However, Wolof language and culture have a disproportionate influence because of their prevalence in Banjul, the Gambian capital, where a majority of the population is Wolof. Its final demise at the hands of French colonial forces in the 1870s1890s also marks the beginning of the formation of Senegal as a unified state. Their religious beliefs centered around the worship of a supreme being known as Roog, who was believed to be the creator of the world.One of the most important festivals in Wolof culture is the annual xooy celebration, which takes place in December and January. Yesterday I had the opportunity to go to a Senegalese wedding celebration. Culture defines peoples lifestyles and it sets the platform upon which people can relate with other cultural groupings in a given place. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-marriage-traditions-of-wolof-culture/, IvyPanda. [37], The geer or "freeborn" too had a hierarchical structure. Accept Read More. ensure the integrity of our platform while keeping your private information safe. [8][9][10] Wolofs joined the various competing Sufi Muslim movements in the 20th century, particularly those belonging to the Mouride and Tijaniyyah Islamic brotherhoods. "The Marriage Traditions of Wolof Culture." This ceremony demanded the presence of representatives from both families and witnesses. Wolof people are the largest ethnic grouping in Senegal (35% of the Senegalese All rights reserved. Some clusters are random with no central plaza, and many are clustered around a plaza with a mosque in the center. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Another important part of Wolof culture is their music, which is characterized by complex rhythms and intricate melodies. The Wolof people are known for their rich and diverse culture, which includes music, dance, oral traditions, and spiritual practices. The slave owner and his descendants also had a right to have sex with slave women owned by the household. To be able to form the strong and steady family among the Wolof, it was traditionally believed that cross-cousin marriage (young man marrying a maternal uncles daughter) was the best form of marriage (Gamble et al. However, religious practice often contains local elements. It contains thousands of paper examples on a wide variety of topics, all donated by helpful students. Unfortunately, the groom would have to save his bride from the mob, and a new tradition was born in which the bride would simply toss her bouquet instead of her garter to avoid all the trouble. 31). news In Senegal, the Wolof are the largest ethnic group (~43.3%), while elsewhere they are a minority. Muhammadu Buhari via The Gambia Experience In The Gambia, the traditional wedding ceremony is observed by . Drawing a Fine Line Between Friendship and Acquaintanceship, Police Will Battle MASSOB/IPB , If Says AIG Usman Gwary, History: Igwe Ofala Okagbue, Longest Ruling Obi of Onitsha. Some villages in contemporary times share agricultural machinery and sell the peanut harvest as a cooperative. PDF file. The Jolof or Wolof Empire was a medieval West African state that ruled parts of Senegal and the Gambia from approximately 1350 to 1890. Although it was traditionally permissible for a young man to marry a paternal aunts daughter, the importance attached to the stability and success of the family unit among the Wolof ensured that the first priority was given to marriage to a maternal uncles daughter. Ndnk-ndnk: An introduction to Wolof culture, Dakar: Peace Corps, 1981. While slavery is illegal in contemporary African societies, it was common in the history of Wolof people and among the elite castes. The tradition of a diamond engagement ring was started by Archduke Maximilian of Austria when he proposed to Mary of Burgundy. They have a deep respect for their ancestors and a strong belief in their cultural heritage, which they celebrate through a variety of festivals and rituals. For starters, it used to be a pie, and it contained oysters, lamb testicles, sweetbreads, rooster comb, and pine kernels, according to a . The Wolof society is divided into castes, which entail nobles and slaves among several others. The tradition of a wedding cake comes from ancient Rome, where revelers broke a loaf of bread over a bride's head for fertility's sake. Though French is the official language of Senegal, it is not difficult to find people in Dakar (the capital city) who only speak Wolof. anambra citizens InlandTown Since cakes represent fertility, Ancient Romans would bake wheat cakes and break them over the brides head. Once it was decided that his character was good, further gifts would be presented to the girls family to seal a covenant that left the young man as the sole suitor. . The Wolof people have had a rigid, patriarchal, endogamous social stratified society at least since the 15th-century. By the end of the 15th century, the Wolof states of Jolof, Kayor, Baol, and Walo had become united in a federation with Jolof as the metropolitan power. Therefore, priority is first given to marriage to a maternal uncles daughter. The Wolof people (UK: /wolf/)[4][5] are a West African ethnic group found in northwestern Senegal, the Gambia, and southwestern coastal Mauritania. This paper seeks to explore the culture of the Wolof people with emphasis on their marriage traditions. It should also be noted that divorce could be subject to many other issues among them the social classes of the couples. Despite these factors, that will ought to in order to improve marriages, separation and divorce will be section associated with the Wolof custom. It's a Small size geocache, with difficulty of 1, terrain of 1.5. [39] According to Victoria B. Coifman, a professor of Afro-American and African studies, historical evidence suggests that the Wolof people were a matrilineal society before the 14th-century. 5. The position of king was held by the Burba Wolof, and the rulers of the other component states owed loyalty and tribute payments to him. We arrived at the reception site just as the men were driving away to go to prayer. The Wolof people's traditional culture and practices have survived the colonial era and are a strong element of the Senegalese culture. Wait staff dressed as court attendants serve the newlyweds and those impersonating royal guards perform traditional martial arts. He then declares his intentions by offering his future in laws alcoholic drinks. At such a point, the boy was expected to furnish the girl and her mother with gifts to win their affection (Gamble et al. Anambra state For the girls father, the young man was expected to assist in chores such as weeding and harvesting among other masculine endeavors. These include the role that marriage plays in the family formation in the Wolof society, what the economic background of the plural marriages is, and which traditions describe the marriage ceremony of the Wolof culture. The Wolof people are the largest ethnic grouping in Senegal as they form about 35% of the Senegalese populace and about 12% of the Gambian populace (Diop 112). MONDAY MUSINGS: CUTTING THROUGH THE NOISE. When the transaction is made within complete, the few will be regarded as legally single and could remarry with simply no problems (Gamble ainsi que al. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Publishing. This wedding tradition dates back to the origin of arranged marriages. (2019) 'The Marriage Traditions of Wolof Culture'. The slave owner and his descendants also had a right to have sex with slave women owned by the household. Buhari We will write a custom Research Paper on The Marriage Traditions of Wolof Culture specifically for you for only $11.00 $9.35/page. The Wolof first cohabited with the Berbers in south-eastern Mauritania, with the Peulh . Most are located in the West African countries of Senegal and The Gambia. In Ireland, the bride must keep her feet on the ground at all times while dancing for fear of being swept away by evil fairies. Breaking News: Onitsha Born Dr. Chinelo Dies From Train Attack. Prior to traditional Wolof wedding ceremonies, the parents of the groom-to-be sends elders to the girl's parents with kola nuts and money to ask for . This preference hinged on the idea that such arrangements provided the best and most stable marriages. Marriage Traditions of Wolof People The institution of marriage is an intrinsic part of the Wolof culture. 32). Marry me inside Africa: African Basic principles, Bloomington: AuthorHouse, this season. Fulaba released its Wolof jewelry collection this spring which includes 2 styles of earrings, a necklace, bracelet and 2 styles of rings. Multiple marriages have been common, with many Wolof households featuring two wives. An intriguing aspect of these arrangements was that the intervention of diviners was sought to determine if the marriage was feasible before marriage actually took place (Gamble et al. Naturally, the responsibility of tossing the garter shifted to the groom. This aspect causes one to want to know the kind of social environment in which this culture is practiced and why it would be subject to more Western influence than other cultures in the region. Wolof's independence can be seen in the succession of their first king or burba, the semi-legendary Ndiadiane N'diaye, traditionally placed in the 13th century CE but more likely to have been in the second half of the 14th century CE. professional specifically for you? The earliest documented mention of the Wolof is found in the records of 15th-century, Portuguese-financed Italian traveller Alvise Cadamosto, who mentioned well-established Islamic Wolof chiefs advised by Muslim counselors. Traditionally, most marriages among the Wolof emerged from mutual agreements between the parents of the groom and the bride (Gamble et al. We wolof wedding traditions several hours for the girls dad, the Wolof tribe is... It sets the platform upon which people can relate with other cultural groupings each along with its tradition. We waited several hours for the wedding was done in Wolof, a West African rice is. 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