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Ugandan Marriage Customs and Ceremonies
Uganda marriage ceremonies usually include the traditional marriage and the religious or civil marriage ceremonies.
The Traditional Marriage In the Uganda culture, a man seeking to marry will have to pay a visit to the girl’s parents to seek her hand in marriage. He will be accompanied by his father, uncles, siblings and friends. The groom will have to carry gifts for the girl’s parents. The gifts in question vary according to tribe and ethnic group. In some cases, the girl’s parents will demand specific items that the groom must present before them. In other cases, the parents will leave the choice up to the groom. One thing is certain though, he cannot make this visit empty handed. Typical gifts include: fabric, cattle, goats, money, sugar, furniture and more.
The bride on the other hand will be pampered and will only make brief appearances escorted by an entourage of girls. At the end of the function, the couple are betrothed. In some cultures they are pronounced man and wife. This ceremony is almost always mandatory before the couple can proceed to have the religious ceremony. Evidence of this traditional marriage usually in form of a letter from the girl’s father, will be required by the religious institution where the couple plan to have their western style wedding.
The Religious Marriage Ceremony This ceremony takes the form of the western style wedding. Depending on the religious beliefs of the couple, the wedding will take place in either a church or mosque. The groom will have a best man and sometimes grooms men. The bride will be accompanied by a maid of honour, bridesmaids and a flower girl(s). The couple will make vows to each other and will be pronounced man and wife and presented with a marriage certificate.
The religious wedding ceremony is usually followed a reception party towards the end of the day.
The Civil Marriage Ceremony Though not very common, some Uganda couples prefer to have civil marriage ceremonies. These weddings take place at the Registrar General’s office in Kampala. The civil ceremony is also followed by a reception party.
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Uganda Location: East Africa Capital city: Kampala International dialing code:+256 Time Zone : GMT +3 Official language: English
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What to do in Uganda
National game parks for game drives and camping experiences.
Gorilla Tracking at the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and at the Bwindi Gorilla National Park.
Sight-seeing at the Source of the Mighty Nile at Jinja.
Lakes and the Ssese Islands for bird-watching, fishing, boat rides, and beautiful beaches.
Bird-watching—Uganda is home to over 1000 bird species.
Adventure-water rafting, kayaking, mountain biking, quad biking, bungee jumping and mountain climbing. |
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Traveling to Uganda Uganda can be accessed by air with British Airways, Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM), Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Egypt Air, Turkish airlines and SN Brussels.
Uganda can also be entered overland from Rwanda, Kenya, South Sudan and Tanzania.
A valid passport and visa for countries requiring Ugandan visas is mandatory. Uganda visas can be obtained from the Uganda Diplomatic missions abroad, and also from immigration points at the Entebbe International Airport and overland border points.
Health Advice A yellow fever certificate of vaccination is required. Malaria prophylactic medication is also required for persons from non-malaria regions. Always drink bottled or boiled water. Avoid eating food sold on the road sides. |
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Climate Uganda is generally warm, with temperatures varying according to the different regions. Temperatures range from 18 to 30 degrees Celsius. Uganda can be visited at any time of the year. It is advisable to bring a hat, sunglasses, sun cream, sandals, and cotton clothing.
Money Advice The currency is Uganda shillings. Euros, British pounds and US Dollars are widely acceptable. Foreign currency can be exchanged at local forex bureaus. Visa and other major credit cards are widely accepted.
Food, Drink and Toiletries Many of the hotels and restaurants serve good food, all dependent on your personal tastes. There are many restaurants in Kampala serving foreign cuisine. Toiletries can be bought at stores and shops in the cities.
Language English is the official language and it is widely spoken.
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For more information
· Uganda: the Bradt Travel Guide by Phillip Briggs
· Spectrum Guide to Uganda Series
· www.lonelyplanet.com/uganda |
