Wedding Feast

A traditional wedding in the Umuofia clan was similar to a traditional American wedding because it included many family members, traditional dances, and food, yet it was different because the clan treated the bride as a possession. Currently, American men and women neglect the spouse's family members as a part of their family and focus on creating a family for themselves. This is not the case for the Umuofia clansmen. The clan's men and the suitor's clan both come together and contribute to the celebration. The women from both tribes cook together, learn about each other, and discuss the nights events with the bride. There is a great amount of unity between the two tribes even though they rarely spend time negotiating with each other. When the wedding festivities begin the women serve the men, the bride is presented to the men, then the women leave so the men can continue discussing terms about the bride and how each man at the celebration has contributed to his society. When the women come back out to dance for them men they all watch and sing gaily with each other. Presents of wine and cocks are given to signify approval of the marriage. After the celebration, the woman leaves with her suitor to go live in the land of her suitor's for seven market weeks before they return back to her mother-land. I do not agree with all the traditions of Umuofia, but I do agree that weddings today need to be more focused on the coming together of two families, not the money spent, the friends invited, the food being served, or even just on the bride. Umuofia went even farther exemplifying the importance of not only a family coming together, but an entire tribe. American brides, grooms, fathers, and mothers should remember that they are uniting themselves with each other as well as fusing two families together. Another aspect of a wedding that Umuofia represented was the bride and groom returning back to the bride's homeland after spending time with her suitor's family. I found this interesting because this is a biblical principle that is emulated in a pagan tribe. It made me realize that there are certain "truths" that remain constant in all forms of religion.