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How The Igbos Conduct Traditional Wedding

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By Onyinye Igwe

The union of two people in marriage is a thing of joy and always brings smiles to everyone involved. Different people in various parts of the world have their own way of carrying out their marriage rites. Westernization eradicated a whole lot of cultures and traditions but the traditional marriage is one part of a culture that was not eradiated.

In the Igbo tradition, a marriage is not said to have occurred if there is no traditional marriage and these are the phases

The selection/sieving phase: When a man has come of age and is ready to begin a lifelong journey with his partner, he talks to his parents. If he has a woman in mind, he informs the parents about her and then they do background research to ensure that the woman’s family is a reputable one.

If the man does not have anyone in mind, he could ask his parents to go through the selection process where they would pick a woman who they believe would suit their son well.

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The meet the parent’s phase: The parents accompany the son to the residence of the woman who they plan to marry into their household. They make their intentions known to their “to-be-in-laws.” This phase comes in two ways.

READ ALSO: Anaedo TV Presenter, Mrs Onyinnye Umeononigwe Weds In Grand Style (Photos)

If the woman agrees right away, they set a date for the official introduction and deliberate on the items to come with. These items include kola nut, goat, stockfish, cash gift and so on.

If the woman doesn’t agree right away and there are still some deliberations to be carried out, the family would schedule their meeting for a later date. If the groom’s family is called upon once again, it is taken as a sign that their proposal has been accepted and so they would meet to discuss the dates of introduction and items to bring with them.

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Igba-Nkwu: This is the simple name for the traditional marriage. Once the dates are set and every arrangement has been put in order. The groom comes with his family, friends, and everyone that would love to celebrate with them as it is a joyous occasion. The key part of this process is the part where the woman is given a cup of palm wine and asked to search around for her groom. On finding him, she kneels down as an act of respect, she drinks from the gourd and presents it to her groom. As soon as he accepts it and drinks, it is a sealed deal. It’s kind of like the exchange of rings in western weddings.

The traditional marriage of the Igbo people is a tradition that has been able to stand the test of time even with the effects of colonization. It is a key part of the Igbo culture and can never be overemphasized.

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