(2019, November 28). 3. The Wolof people are found in North-Eastern part of Senegal, Mauritania, and Gambia. A brief marriage ceremony was then performed by an Imam (the Wolof people are largely Islamic) after the routine Friday prayers at the mosque (Gamble et al. In some cases, the rigid traditional systems in which the parents make all the decisions concerning matters of marriage are still witnessed (Melching 68). Anambra state The grooms main warrior companion would be the equivalent of the best man at a wedding. Print. 32). [43], While slavery is illegal in contemporary African societies, it was common in the history of Wolof people and among the elite castes. Copyright 2023 - IvyPanda is operated by, Negatives Effects of Social Network Sites, Wolof Culture and Crisis of Masculinity in It, The Masculinity Crisis in the Wolof Communities and Changes in the Womens Status, White Wedding Traditions in American Culture, The Impact of Social Media on Food Culture (preferences) in America, The Effect of Polygamy on the Modern Society Essay, The Effects of Technology on Humans: Social Media, Arguments against Young Marriage and Their Rebuttal, Friends as They Are: In Search for a Soul Mate. It's located in Berlin, Germany.Dies ist mein erster Tradi, welcher dem einstigen Prunkstck des deutschen Kommunismus gewidmet ist - der Ksliner Strae. The Monetary Base of Wolof Polygamy. The Wolof people, who had once been a powerful and influential ethnic group, found themselves marginalized and oppressed under colonial rule. The Wolof people are the largest ethnic grouping in Senegal as they form about 35% of the Senegalese populace and about 12% of the Gambian populace (Diop 112). Something old represents continuity. Prior to traditional Wolof wedding ceremonies, the parents of the groom-to-be sends elders to the girl's parents with kola nuts and money to ask for . Linguistic Taboo in African Marriage Context: A Study of the Oromo Laguu. Nordic Journal of African Studies 11.2 (2002): 224-235. A compound traditionally operates a joint kitchen, but if there are internal disputes then each family unit cooks separately. "The Marriage Traditions of Wolof Culture." While only ever consolidated into a single state structure for part of this time, the tradition of governance, caste, and culture of the Wolof dominate the history of north-central Senegal for much of the last 800 years. During Victorian times, a pageboy was responsible for carrying a brides train down the aisle along with a prayer book. 31). When discussing marriage with the bride's parents, the groom is expected to present kola nuts and money. Obi of Onitsha The age-old wedding tradition of a flower girl stems from an Ancient Roman tradition where young virgins would carry sheaths of wheat, which was believed to bring onwell-being and good fortune to the newlyweds. Today, a young man may identify a particular girl and after the approval of parents, the father initiates talks to ask for the girls hand in marriage (Gamble et al. Eventually, it becamethe pageboys responsibility to carry the ring pillow down the aisle and is a tradition that has evolved into the ring bearer that we are familiar with today. Settling with the marabouts met imbibing their culture and traditions hence 99.9% of Wolof people became Muslim. [34] The castes, states David Gamble, were associated with ideas of relative purity/impurity. Agorsah, Koffi. 1. During the ceremony, a small payment consisting of kola nuts and money was made to the brides family, thus making the marriage legally binding (Gamble et al. Wolof ceremonial traditions Ceremonies such as weddings, funerals, and baptisms, while not unique, have traditional elements distinctive to the Wolof. The couple could not be released until the marriage was official. A Zulu bride will change her outfit at least three different times to convey to her in laws her beauty in different styles and colors. The symbolism of the color blue dates back to early Christianity, when the color was associated with the Virgin Mary, who is often depicted wearing a blue robe. The Wolof culture is one of most affected cultures by Western influence in comparison to other cultures in the region (Diop 101). If this proposal is accepted, the parents of the bride-to be . These include the role that marriage plays in the family formation in the Wolof society, what the economic background of the plural marriages is, and which traditions describe the marriage ceremony of the Wolof culture. The typical farmers in a village pay rent (waref) to the landowner for the right to crop his land. During the Roman age, a common custom was to tie the bride and grooms hands together during the ceremony. "Dakar-Wolof," for instance, is an urban mixture of Wolof, French, and Arabic. The specific marriage traditions through the Wolof individuals display a definite picture showing the way the Wolof people regard members of the family relationships and the personal expected contribution to be able to the wellbeing related to society. Weddings can be very elaborate, involving feasting and dancing for days within a community, they can be very simple, or they can even be performed in huge marriage ceremonies involving many different couples. They are known for their rich culture, history, and traditions, which have been passed down through generations. [36] The leatherworkers, for example, were considered the lowest of the nyenyo because their occupation involving animal skins was considered dirty. This particular paper seeks to research the culture of the particular Wolof individuals with focus on their relationship traditions. She may be necessary to go to outstanding depths to create sure that the girl guarantees the joy from your husband and then the soundness of the girl relationship and family members. The Wolof people practice a rigid and endogamous marriage. 41. Under such marriage arrangements, the bride and the groom did not have much of an influence over what happens. The Himba people kidnap the bride before her ceremony and dress her in a leather headdress. Although traditions play an important role, history has shown us that its okay to get a little creative when it comes to planning your special day. Nordic Journal related to African Studies 11. Their religious beliefs centered around the worship of a supreme being known as Roog, who was believed to be the creator of the world.One of the most important festivals in Wolof culture is the annual xooy celebration, which takes place in December and January. This favors the idea that such measures provided the best and most stable marriages. The Marriage Traditions of Wolof Culture. [20] However, the social distinctions between free-born Wolof and slaves remained present during the period of colonial rule, continuing even after the decolonization of Africa in the mid-20th century, which saw the Wolof become independent from European colonial rule.[20]. With these firearms, the intensity and violence of Wolof slave raids (and conflicts with other ethnic groups in general) increased. Print. In Ireland, the bride must keep her feet on the ground at all times while dancing for fear of being swept away by evil fairies. Sumaiya Ismail This wedding tradition dates back to the origin of arranged marriages. [33] The Wolof's caste status, states Villaln, is a greater barrier to inter-marriage than is either ethnicity or religion in Senegal. prayer (Senegal is a predominantly Muslim country). As will certainly be expected associated with some other lady worldwide, Wolof ladies show envy in the direction of their co-wives plus rivalry amongst co-wives is really a frequent see. 40. Need a custom Research Paper sample written from scratch by Wedding cakes are one of the centerpieces of a wedding but Norwegian wedding cakes known as Kransekake, offer a unique take on the staple dish. professional specifically for you? Ames, David. Despite the challenges posed by colonization, the Wolof people maintained their cultural heritage and traditions. Men of certain caste are smiths, leatherworkers, weavers (now the profession of former slave descendants). Free Essay Examples Database. You agree to receive occasional updates about ONE's campaigns. Ames, David. [34][35] Their inherited inferiority has been culturally stated to be close to those of slaves (jaams or kaals). 31). The Marriage Traditions of Wolof Culture. Labour Party This wedding ceremony demanded the existence of associates from both family members and witnesses. [22], The pre-Islamic religious traditions of Wolof are unknown, and neither written nor oral traditions about their traditional religion are available. The bride parents consult with their daughter and together they consent to or reject this proposal. More and more, couples are opting to include specific cultural traditions on their wedding day, and 43% of couples say that they are including at least one or a few meaningful cultural . The institution of marriage is an intrinsic part of the Wolof culture. Soon the idea spread across the country and was popularized in the retail industry to include wedding gifts for the couple. You can use them for inspiration, an insight into a particular topic, a handy source of reference, or even just as a template of a certain type of paper. Variants are worn on a day-to-day with the whole shebang coming out on special occasions; the most important for the Wolof is the feast of Tabaski (the Muslim Feast of Sacrifice). Entertainment There were many similarities between this wedding and typical American weddings: The bride wore white, lots of friends and family were present, there was a big meal, and there was a DJ. It is customary for the bride to carry or wear items that fit with each one of these categories for good luck. [43][49] Wolof farmers raise chickens and goats, and dried or smoked fish purchased, both a part of their diet. [14]) The spelling Jolof is also often used, but in particular reference to the Jolof Empire and Jolof Kingdom that existed in central Senegal from the 14th to the 19th centuries. This role belongs to a caste and has been hereditary. Igbo Becomes A Universal Language As Oxford Inducts Igbo Lecturer . 8. 9 February 2015. [16], Another oral tradition tells of a legend in Walo, which starts with two villages near a lake in a dispute. The cultures of the different ethnic groupings have been a subject of research for a long time. Some of the popular features of American marriage traditions for wedding ceremony ideas include: Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Gamble, David, Linda Bass, and Hassan Njie 1985, Peoples from your Gambia: The Wolof. The chief has been the tribute (tax) collector and the interface between the kingdom officials and the villagers. Griots are West African storytellers and musicians who tend to show up (uninvited) to big events like weddings to try to make some money. However, religious practice often contains local elements. It contains thousands of paper examples on a wide variety of topics, all donated by helpful students. However, scholars and historians have increasingly raised concerns over the authenticity of todays cultures, for as the world continues to open up due to phenomena such as globalization, many cultures have been waning and becoming a hybrid of several cultures. Weddings This technique along with the theories right after and prior to the marriage ceremony guarantees that ladies area their husbands first and obey every one of them completely. When the relationship happens throughout this particular social program along with no knowledge of those involved along with the fact arrives later, the particular divorce is inevitable. The Wolof as a people are largely Muslim and they practice Islam as religion. IvyPanda. Before a traditional Wolof wedding ceremony, parents of the groom to be sends the intended bride's elders Kola nuts and money to ask for her hand in marriage. When she moves, the tinkling sound is supposed to deflect. Some clusters are random with no central plaza, and many are clustered around a plaza with a mosque in the center. 32). Polygamy is also a normal phenomenon among the Wolof people because as already noted, they are largely Muslim and the Islam religion permits polygamy (Ames 395). The oral traditions of the Wolof have legends that state them to have been adherents of Islam since the founding of their Kingdom of Jolof. Each compound has either round or square huts made from adobe-like mud-millet stalk walls and thatched roofs with a conical shape. Once this transaction is made, it will be time for that bride-to-be to move towards the grooms compound officially (Gamble et ing. (LogOut/ The Wolof President Muhammadu Buhari The origin of marriage dates back to 23,000 years ago when hunter-gatherers became farmers, and gender roles around the household started to form. 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