Generosity
Has much to Do with Marriage in Ethiopia!
In
Ethiopia, marriage is marked by holding many ceremonies that usually
start with engagement. After the bride proposes to the groom, he usually
sends a milky cow to the house of his would-be-wife. The wife’s mother
usually gather the milk of the cow in order to make various dairy
products that will be sent as a gift to the groom’s house on the night
of consummation.
The engagement ceremony is usually attended by the tribal chiefs. The
groom’s mother-in-law usually hands the groom a cup of milk to drink,
which is a clear indication that she is happy with him and is
overwhelmed with joy.
From the moment of proposal, the groom usually helps his father-in-law
in farming his land as well as other related activities as if he is a
real son.
On the day of consummation, the groom is served a very special meal that
is usually prepared by his mother-in-law. After having the meal, the
mother-in-law stands up and hands him as well as his close friends cups
of milk. The groom usually drinks the milk while being overwhelmed by
joy. After drinking the milk, he usually hands his wife’s aunts an
amount of money as a gift.
Marking the end of the celebrations, the guests usually stand in a queue
where the bride goes out walking to her husband’s house. Such
celebrations are usually accompanied by uttering sounds of rejoicing.
