Traditional Marriage in Uganda is Fascinating

The Bagwere occupy the district of Pallisa in eastern Uganda. They are a tribe from Bantu ethnic group of people. The Bantu group has extended to cover the southern, eastern and some central areas of Africa. The Bagwere are mainly farmers engaged in cultivation of popular corps like rice, soy beans, ground nuts and others.

The value of tradition plays a definite role in the lives of the Bagwere people. Their regard for men is so high that men are worshipped as gods in Uganda. Traditional marriages are still revered in the country. The concept of the tradition is a very old practice in Uganda. Different types of customs are respected by tribes. The subject of a price tag on the bride is practiced in several African tribes as in the Bagwere. The boy has to offer a price, particularly financial to the parents of the girl.

A traditional marriage in the Bagwere tribe is arranged by parents for their wards. As development came, a boy had to select a girl of his choice for marriage. After both of them reach a confirmed decision of the marriage, the girl makes arrangements for her parents to get introduced to the boy. On the introduction day itself, it is mandatory for the boy to present the girl's parents some kind of valuable material or commodity as gift. This first introduction ceremony is called "Okutona". The next step would be the boy's invitation to the girl's parents to visit his house and family members and also to evaluate the boy's possessions or financial capability. Such a visit of the boy's house is mainly used for negotiation of price for the bride, which the boy has to pay. The occasion usually takes a festive mood by the people and they enjoy such visits with merry making and feasting.

After the confirmation of the price negotiations, the boy and his parents make due arrangements to complete all the financial commitments, they had made earlier to the girl's parents. This transferring of possessions and commodities by the boy's family is also enjoyed by the people there with dancing and feasting.

It is followed by the scene of the bride coming to the bridegroom's house. In this case, the event starts from the time the mother of the boy going to the girl's house accompanied by a close relative or a friend to bring the girl from her residence. Usually, the mother would cross the entire journey by singing. She would arrange the journey in a manner to reach the girl's house in the evening. The girl's parents would handover the girl to the boy's mother and they would tread back to the boy's house, singing throughout the journey.

The bride would share the bed with the bridegroom only after the ritual "Okunabbya Omugole" was complete. The ritual is done by washing both of them with water and some herbs. Thereafter, the bride would come to the boy's mother, who would splash water on her back. The older people would examine the girl's nails and fingers to check any sign of pregnancy. Having passed through this examination the girl is finally handed over to the boy by the girl's brother to lead a life as husband and wife.