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Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding

Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding Ngurario

Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding

Recently, I was lucky enough to cover one of the unique Kikuyu Traditional weddings known as “Ngurario”. Though most African cultures have been adversely affected by western culture: There are few people, maybe I can say the cultural remnants who still observe the traditional rituals. I guess the young generation tries to avoid them due to too many complicated procedures as compared to modern weddings. It entails a lot of things, especially since the husband-to-be is expected to provide several things to the bride’s home as a way of appreciation. They include:

1. Young Goat (Mwati)
2. Sheep (Ngoima)
3. Lady goat (Harika)
4. Big sufuria (rurinja)
5. Basin (basin ya mabati)
6. I dozen cups (ikombe cia mabati)
7. Sword (njora)
8. Blanket (murengeti)
9. Two pairs of bedsheet for the father (macuka)
10. Coat (kabuti)
11. One small sufuria with a handle (gathaburia kena munyito)
12. Ten crates of sodas
13. Five crates of beer (njohi) etc
14. Lessos (marithu ma atumia)
15. I bag of sugar (ikunia ria cukari)
16. Foods and drinks for that day

For more information about the “Ngurario” in case you might be looking for help in vain, kindly visit elimuasilia. They are here to help us re-track our footsteps from where we lost them.

Ceremony: Kasarani
Photography: Antony Trivet Photography

Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Marriage Cultural Customary Traditional
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
KIKUYU DOWRY PROCEDURES Introduction The Kikuyu are found in Kenya and live mainly around Mt. Kenya in the Central Province. They believe to be the descendants of Gikuyu (father) and Mumbi (Mother) whose origin was in Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga (meaning a certain tree-mukurwe, with a certain species of birds-nyagathanga). This is a place in Murang’a Central Kenya. The Kikuyu believe in one deity (Ngai mwene hinya) who they believe lived in the highest peak of Mt. Kirinyaga (today’s Mt. Kenya). They are traditionally farmers and good livestock keepers. Their products from the farm and animals were key in trade. Infact, dowry payment was counted in form of goats, sheep and cattle. The man with many daughters considered himself wealthy since each daughter’s dowry would propel him to a higher level in the society. Today, dowry payment precedes a wedding in Kikuyu. The dowry payment is in a series of events namely “Kumenya mucii” (getting to know the bride’s home), “Kuhanda ithigi” (literally means planting a branch of a tree), followed by “Kuracia” (actual dowry payment) ..This last process lasts a lifetime. Itara (getting to see the nest or nesting place of their daughter) which is a visit to the Groom’s homestead is next and finally Kuguraria (aka gutinia kiande) the traditional kikuyu wedding of antiquity.
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Ceremony
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Ceremony
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Ceremony
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Ceremony
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
“To love is nothing. To be loved is something. But to love and be loved, that’s everything.” — T. Tolis
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
“The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart.” — Helen Keller
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Agikuyu Lady
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
“The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.” — Victor Hugo
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding Ngurario
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding Ngurario
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding Ngurario
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding Ngurario
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding Ngurario
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony Ngorima
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Parents blessings holding Drinking Muratina on Ruhia
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional
Kikuyu Traditional Wedding
Kikuyu Ngurario Wedding Cultural Customary Traditional

Ruracio Dowry Marriage Ceremony :: Kikuyu Traditional Wedding

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