A Muslim "Wedding" (?)

Happy New Year from Cape Coast!!! Ah...it's nice to be out of Ejura for a few days!!!

My journey began on Saturday, when I headed for Koforidua to attend a wedding. Or what I thought was a wedding. After what turned out to be a six hour journey on one of the most uncomfortable tro tros yet (I sat behind the driver and also behind the engine...which heated my feet to unbelievably high temperatures. I honestly thought my sandals were going to melt).

I stayed in the same hotel that I stayed in last time, although this time they had both running water and electricity (though never quite at the same time). Unfortunately, the pillow here also smelled like vomit, so I'm getting really good at sleeping without a pillow.

So all my ideas about a wedding just got tossed out the window. I was expecting a ceremony to join the two in marriage. However, this didn't really happen (or at least what I saw). I apologize if any of the traditions I try to explain are incorrect...I'm only presenting what I experienced. I'm still not exactly sure what was SUPPOSED to happen.

After I arrived in Koforidua, I found out that the bride was located in Takoradi, a town down on the coast. So, apparently a tro tro full of people were going to Takoradi at 4:30 the next morning to "collect" the bride and bring her back to Koforidua. I was invited to join the journey. I declined, as it would take most of the entire day in another tro tro. I said I would just hang out in town that day and then join up for the party afterwards.

Well, I ended up hanging out with the groom, Alhassan, Aminu, (who was the symbolic best man, but not the real best man, since he doesn't have a lot of money), and a bunch of their friends for most of the day. Alhassan stayed Koforidua while the bride was retrieved.

I watched another Nigerian movie and parts of videos on the t.v. Again, I have to say I was fine with that, as I got to sit in a comfy chair beneath a ceiling fan. I ran errands with the boys, which included buying crates of "minerals" (pop) for the party, inviting others to the wedding celebration by handing out "toffees" (candies, but really these were cough drops), and helping to hang new curtain panels in the bride and groom's living room to cover the walls. When they wanted to go to the T.V. store to get a new T.V. and sound system, I decided to go and rest at the hotel on my puke pillow and no ceiling fan.

I still wasn't quite sure what was to be expected, but at 4:00 I headed over to Alhassan's family's house (where he also lives) for the celebration. Apparently, though, there had been a death in the family and so the celebration was very quiet. There were about 30 people there. Alhassan was in town hanging out for most of the afternoon/early evening. His bride arrived around 6:00. She was beautiful - she had a really pretty green dress and headscarf and her entire upper body was covered by a while veil. She came into the house and I believe Alhassan arrived back at the house and they got to see each other for ten minutes before she went into a room to relax and receive advice from the women. The celebration continued. Rice and fish were served. I got my own special dish and was served in another room by myself (I'm not sure why). But, I made a new friend called Memuna...the lady who's room I ate in. I ended up talking with her for most of the rest of the night. She is a nurse and her husband is a teacher. They have a one-year-old boy. It was really interesting to talk to her about health issues in Ghana. She is a very smart woman and I also enjoyed hearing about her life here as a working mother.

I was also invited into the room where the bride and her best friend were sitting. Apparently, people were supposed to pay to speak to her and see her face (she kept it covered with the white veil most of the time). I didn't know this, and just told her she looked beautiful and congratulations on her marriage. I felt a little intrusive, definitely like a wedding crasher at that point. But, she seemed to be glad I was there (or maybe she was just so tired from the journey that she didn't care).

I was then invited back into the groom's house and watched the same Nigerian movie again. Again, I didn't really mind, as the chair was so comfortable. After that, I was ready to retire for the evening and headed back to the hotel. Apparently, finally, the bride and groom got to see each other at the end of the evening and viola! They're married.

I would like to attend another Muslim wedding. I didn't get to see the acutual formalities and I would like to understand that better. It was nice to be invited, still, and everyone was really nice. I just had no clue what was going on. Funny how easily we get accustomed to our own traditions and celebrations and I just assumed it would be somewhat similar to the weddings I have seen. Duh. Not so much.

So, now I'm in Cape Coast with Katy and Maaike. I traveled via Accra...and it was fun to drive through the big city again. I really only saw Accra the night I arrived in Ghana and it was dark. It felt a bit more like America, as there were big buildings and developed roads, etc. I think I would like to spend some more time there.

New Year's Eve was fun. We went to a beachside restaurant for dinner and a "cultural show" which was disappointing, as it was just a couple of guys doing acrobatics (handstands and flips and such) and we saw it when we were here before. There were firecrackers at midnight, though, which I actually did not enjoy. They were definitely firecrackers, not fireworks and I think many of the guys lighting them were drunk. So, with my fear of explosions, I took off to wait at a safe distance.

Yesterday we went to a beach resort to celebrate New Year's. There were lots of people there. Aminu and his friends arranged a tro tro to take us all there and they made food (more plantains and yams and cabbage stew) and drinks. They even arranged a guy to come and prepare Chinese tea. I'm not joking, this older gentleman from Burkina Faso came along and prepared tea all afternoon. And, no, the tea was not so good.

The day was fun, though. Tomorrow Maaike, Katy, and I head to Busua, another beach resort for a few (more) days of relaxation before Maaike heads back to Holland. We will miss her!!!

Hope you all had a wonderful New Year! Oh, and my computer charger has arrived at the post office in Kumasi. I promise to work on posting pictures!!!

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