African Wedding Traditions

A wedding in Africa is more like a coming together of two families instead of just a man and a woman starting a life together.  African societies have different ways of looking at weddings and marriages.  The influence of the Western society has also become evident in this part of the world.  It is not unusual for rich African families to conduct two weddings with one conducted in the traditional style and the other in accordance with modern Western practice.

Polygamy, a form of plural marriage, is widely accepted as a lifestyle in Africa.  Due to the diversity of thousands of ethnic groups, specific wedding rituals may vary from region to region.  Islamic and Christian influences also play a big role in wedding ceremonies.  Arranged marriages are common in the Arab areas of Africa but the younger generations are starting to exert their prerogative to choose their own partners.  Men are considered the head of the home as he works in the fields and support his family while the women generally work in the home.  Old wedding traditions and practices tend to be overshadowed by Western traditions.  One theory that sought to explain this pointed to the introduction of Western religion and the church as well as the economic situation in Africa countries that makes it important for a man to support polygamous marriages.