Friday morning, bright and early, we were off to Jambiani! I didn't really know what to expect, though I'd been told that Zanzibarian weddings are full of singing and dancing -- a full day of celebration.
After waiting for Mwana and Tiba (Mwana's sister-in-law) to get all decked out with their fancy outfits and make-up, we were on our way by daladala. Mwana said had told me that Jambiani was only 30 minutes away, but it was actually a three-hour ride. There were 30 people in the daladala and we kept stopping along the way for people to load things onto the lorry: giant sacks of rice, boxes of biscuits, etc... things to bring to from the urban area to the rural areas.
When we arrived (at 11:00AM), we were served breakfast (some of which we had brought ourselves). Cassava, bread, mandazi, beans, fish, stew, and potato hashbrown-ish thingies. Quite a feast!
Then I accompanied Mwana to the kitchen, where we were going to help prepare food. I took an onion to chop, but I don't think she was satisfied with my cutting skills because after one she told me to just sit back and relax.
Then Mwana's brother, Kenis, took me for a tour around Jambiani. This basically meant we went for a walk down the beach. It was a touristy area, but all the resorts and restaurants are closed because it's low season.
At 12:30PM, we were passing the house of Kenis's half-sister, who didn't speak English. This is when Kenis said he was leaving me to go pray. I pleaded for him not to leave me alone with people who didn't speak "kizungu" (white-person language), but he left anyways. Luckily, Mudhakir (my 11-year-old homestay brother) had joined us for the walk. So I pulled out my "Swahili Made Easy" book (sadly, it's not easy...) and began to read with Mudhakir. Soon enough, Kenis's half-sister's husband joined us. Being a guard at one of the nearby resorts, he spoke English well enough. So he helped me as I practiced the exercises in the book.
When Kenis came back, we went back to where the wedding was supposed to be. By now it was around 2PM. I found Mwana, and she told me it was time to see the wedding. She led me into a room where a young woman was sitting on a bed, surrounded by a dozen people taking photos. The woman was wearing a bright yellow dress, with lots of lace and LOTS of sparkles. Her arms, legs, and chest were covered with henna. She was not smiling.
Mwana told me that this was the bride, and that I should take pictures too...so of course I did! A few minutes later, they put a kanga (piece of cloth) over her head and a few men came in. The older man put his hand on her head and said a prayer, as a younger man in a red scarf (the groom) stood by.
Then they removed the kanga from the bride's head, and the groom sat next to her.
We continued to take pictures. Neither of them smiled until a woman next to me said something in sing-songy Swahili, and they laughed a bit, smiled sheepishly, and went back to not smiling.
Then Mwana led me outside to eat lunch. By 3PM, we had finished and Mwana told me it was time to leave. Leave? Already? I didn't realize that was the wedding that I was watching before! No singing, no dancing? Just a bunch of cooking, eating, and taking pictures around a very small ceremony. I would have taken more pictures had I known it would be over so soon!! Regardless, it was a very interesting day, full of feasting and family and glitter galore. I'm glad to have gotten a chance to experience it!
(And this is a duck on a tire!)
Hi Sweeheart, that was an interesting blog. That will be a memory that you did not plan. Let,s see how different it will be from the one we will be going to in July. Maybe you will have some good ideas. You sound so much more happier than when I talked to you. See, everything happens for a reason. Love you, Gram
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