Within Kenya, there are a variety of different tribes (more than 40), and each tribe has its own traditions. Of course, this includes practices for weddings.

According to a blog called African Wedding Traditions, some of these practices have been let go of in modern times, and others are re-enacted to pay tribute to tradition. Each one has been passed down through Kenyan history.

Love Matters Africa reports that, in most cases, there will be two to three meetings between the families before the wedding – no matter which tribe they are from. The bride’s parents are visited by the groom and his father and uncles to show his interest in marriage with their daughter, then there are dowry negotiations, and finally, the dowry is paid and the wedding plans are finalized.

Often, the groom is not allowed to speak in any of these meetings, with most of the talking being done by his father and uncles. The bride-to-be is commonly not present until all of these meetings are complete.

Of course, there are variations among tribes with these meetings, however, most include it in some form or other.

Here are some other wedding traditions from various tribes:

Rendille Tribe

For men who are part of the Rendille tribe, a marriage proposal is more than just a simple question. He has to send beads to the woman he is interested in marrying, and if she accepts them they they will become engaged.

The woman’s parents must then show that they approve of the marriage. To do so, her mother places an ornament made of wood on top of the beads.

Just before the pair are set to marry, the woman must have her ears pierced, and must get various symbolic tattoos applied to her body. The man, on the other hand, must provide his wife-to-be’s family with camels.

Kikyuyu Tribe 

A traditional Kikyuyu wedding is called the “ngarario”. On this day, the groom visits the bride’s family home with his parents and other members of his family. They are not allowed to enter the house at first.

The “kuhura hoti” takes place, in which women within the groom’s family sing outside the house and carry gifts. Women who are part of the bride’s family also sing inside the house.

Eventually, the front door is opened and they are let inside. Following this, another practice called “gucagura muka wake” is performed. The groom must find his bride in a group of women who are all dressed exactly the same. If he picks the wrong woman, he must pay a fine.

Samburu Tribe

At a wedding ceremony of a couple who form part of the Samburu Tribe, members of the tribe cross wooden sticks while the couple is being married. This is symbolic of the fact that the new marriage will have lasting roots, and will maintain the strength and natural life force of trees.

Masai Tribe 

Brides who are part of the Masai tribe shave their heads in preparation for their nuptials. Thereafter, they apply lamb fat and oil to their scalps, according to Voltaire Diamonds.

After the marriage ceremony, the bride leaves with her spouse and it is said that she should not, under any circumstances, look back or she will turn to stone. Voltaire Diamonds also reports that members of the groom’s family insult the couple as they leave, in order to ward off evil spirits and misfortune.

Pokot Tribe

Grooms in the Pokot Tribe must pay a bride price. They must also provide their brides with a leather wedding band, which they place on her wrist at the wedding ceremony.

Image: Antony Trivet Photography

It would be easy to imagine that wedding dresses have been glamorous and varying shades of white since their inception. However, they have actually changed a lot over the years. From fabric and style to length and colour, not much about wedding dresses has stayed the same.

Not much is known, due to a lack of documentation, about weddings in ancient times. However, Love To Know reports that the ancient dress tradition differed according to culture. Brides in ancient Rome are said to have worn yellow veils to represent a torch and symbolise warmth. In ancient Athens, brides were likely to have worn long robes in shades of red or violet.

From the 5th to the 15th centuries (or in the Medieval times), because weddings were more about politics than love, brides were required to dress in a manner that cast her family in a good light. Brides of high social standing would wear rich colours and expensive materials including fur, velvet, and silk. Often, they had gems sewn into their garments too.

During the Renaissance (from about the 14th to the 17th century), which overlaps with the Medieval times, layering was important. In addition, dresses were long, hanging from the neck to the feet, and may have included a train. Burgundy was a popular colour at the time, and dresses were often corseted or had skirts done in a bell shape.

Elle, however, reports that around the 17th century it was common for a bride to simply wear her best dress, no matter its colour.

Much later, in 1840, the white wedding dress became popular. This is credited to Queen Victoria, who wore an ivory silk gown to marry Prince Albert in that year. Soon after, the white wedding dress became majorly popular, with dressmakers also incorporating embroidered silk, lace, and floral detailing into wedding dresses. High necks, full skirts, and white gloves were popular for brides at the time.

In the early 1900s, white remained the most popular colour, but some brides opted for azure, mauve, or pale think. According to Bridal Guide, a wedding dress at this time incorporated an S-shaped corset, to pull in the belly and push out the bosom. Dresses also came with frills on the bodice, and gigot sleeves.

Through the 1900s wedding dresses went through many transformations. In the 20s sleek, drop waist gowns were popular, and dresses became slightly shorter, according to Good Housekeeping. The 30s and 40s brought simpler outfits, as the wars led to financial struggles, many brides wore items they already owned.

Elizabeth Taylor’s dress in her film Father of the Bride, which had a fitted bodice and a full skirt influenced trends of the 50s. Sweetheart necklines were also popular at the time. About 20 years later, in the 70s, the popular neckline moved to high collars. The 70s saw a lot of experimentation, as it to be expected of the time.

In the 80’s there was no such thing as “less is more”, in fact, at the time brides believed “the bigger the better”. Puffy sleeves, long trains, and over the top headdresses were all the rage.

Vera Wang opened her bridal boutique in 1990, and 10 years later she was considered to be one of the top dress designers. Her speciality at the time was strapless and spaghetti straps.

Nowadays, brides can do whatever they like. Most still opt for white wedding dresses, but styles vary broadly.

Watch wedding dresses change through time:

Feature image: Unsplash

Today, South Africa prefers to be known as the Rainbow Nation, a country with wide diversity, who is accepting of everyone. Anyone can marry whoever they’d like to. However, this was not always the case.

Under Apartheid, marriage between people of certain races was prohibited. After the National Party (NP) came into power in 1948, they promulgated various racist laws. One of these was the Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Act, Act No 55 of 1949. It was one of the first pieces of legislation they enacted after gaining power, according to Thought Co.

The act banned marriages between “Europeans and non-Europeans”. In plain English, this meant that white people could not marry anyone who was not considered to be white. In addition, the law made it a criminal offense for a marriage officer to perform a ceremony between a white person and a person of colour.

According to SA History, the new law also rendered interracial marriages that took place outside of South Africa to be null and void. Many were arrested for breaking the provisions set out by the new laws.

The law was justified as the government claimed to want to “protect the purity” of the white race and to ensure that people of colour do not “infiltrate” the “dominant” race. To really ensure that this didn’t happen, the Apartheid government also passed the Immorality Act No. 23 of 1957 (which repealed the 1927 act) to prohibit sexual intercourse or “immoral or indecent acts” between white people and people of colour.

To clarify, the law did not prevent mixed marriages between people of colour (for example if a black citizen wanted to marry a coloured citizen).

Thought Co reported that even without the law that had been put in place, mixed marriages between white people and people of colour were already rare. They averaged under 100 per year, between ’43 and ’46.

Many opposed the Prohibition of Marriage Act. However, in most cases it was not because whites wanted to have mixed marriages, but rather because they felt insulted at the thought that they would intend to. They thought the law was not necessary.

Years later, actual opposition to the laws built up. In 1976, approximately 260 people were convicted for violating the law, according to Thought Co. The next year, 1977, the opposition became so strong that it divided the cabinet.

On June 19 1985, the laws were repealed by the Immorality and Prohibition of Mixed Marriages Amendment Act, according to SA History. This Act allowed interracial marriages and relationships.

According to the BBC, South Africa’s first interracial marriage (supposedly the first legal one, since there were cases of people being convicted for contravening the laws prior to the legalisation), was between a white woman named Suzanne Leclerc and a black man named Protas Madlala.

Today, of course, thousands of interracial marriages exist in the country. Mixed couples creating beautiful families are easily found and widely celebrated.

Image: Unsplash