If you want to experience a traditional East African lifestyle, rural Burundi is a good place to go. You won’t have pavement or electricity or running water, but you will have the chance to discover local agriculture and artistry. Welcome to Gisuru, a small farming town deep in the hills.
While we were in Africa, my sister-in-law Annie, who lives in Gisuru, invited me to come with her to a Burundian dowry ceremony. This event happens shortly before a wedding, and it entails a dinner and a reception with the exchanging of gifts/bride, speeches, and a lot of soda.
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I couldn’t understand what anyone was saying, but I did enjoy the soda. Soda in Africa tastes better than American soda.
I might end up with a cavity by the end of this trip.
It’s Africa, so we expected the event to start late. We arrived two hours late and then waited an extra hour. I was in the car with Annie and four Burundians, and they taught me some Kirundi words in the meantime.
Kirundi word of the day: Fanta/soda. (Soda of any brand. Also a euphemism for “bribe,” so if someone asks for a “soda” they probably want money in exchange for a favor.)
Dinner was delicious—chicken, beef, rice, cabbage, and fried potatoes. We sat with the groom’s family, as we’d been asked to stand in for extended family members who couldn’t make it.
Some of the events:
- Dinner
- Sodas
- Traditional speeches: representative of the bride’s family takes turns with the groom’s representatives to publicly discuss the culmination of their bride price arrangements.
- The family reiterates their acceptance of the terms and gifts arrive (more sodas, in this case).
- The bride arrives with an entourage and the women vocalize their joy.
- The brothers of the bride block the groom’s path to her until he gives them a gift.
- Together, the two families sip a banana drink from a big bowl with straws.
- The bride gives the groom a gift—new shoes.
- The bride gives gifts to the parents.
- More speeches.
- More sodas.
- More speeches.
- More sodas.
It was a big day for the bride and groom. And the next day would be even bigger: their wedding day!
Africa Day 1: 30 Hours in Transit
Africa Day 2: Crossing Burundi