Before going to Africa for the first time, I began to study information about the countries that I was to visit. And in the process of studying the information, I came across a number of sexual customs of the peoples of Africa, which really amazed me. Most of these customs will be difficult to understand and accept, for a person brought up in a traditional European culture... And nevertheless, I decided to make a TOP-5 rating of the most interesting sexual customs in Africa.
At the end of the article, a video of the most interesting sex and wedding rituals in Africa.
And so are the top 5 sexual customs in Africa.
In fifth place is Umhlanga, or the Dance of the Reed in Swaziland.
Behind the seemingly harmless name is a grandiose spectacle, the culmination of which is the dance of 50-70 thousand virgins from 13 years old, among whom the king chooses his wife. The duration of the holiday is three days.
On the first day, the girls collect the reeds from the riverside, which does not symbolize wickedness. The next day, the reed is brought to the palace of the Queen of Swaziland, where it is used as a building material for protection from the wind. The third day is the culmination of the holiday. All the girls are brought to the stadium, where they will dance in front of the king and the audience.
First, the king makes a topical speech about the life of the country. After that, the girls begin their dance, and the king with the cabinet of ministers, in national dress, namely in a loincloth, descends to examine the brides.
The dance lasts several hours. Spectators can encourage dancers by throwing money at their feet, and those who wish can join the dance.
It happens that emotions whip up and girls lose control over themselves.
You might think that the reed dance is an ancient tradition, in fact, it was only mentioned in the forties of the 20th century, when the king first chose his wife in this way. For the people of Swaziland, this holiday is a huge cultural event that allows you to forget about everyday needs for a few days.
4th place Lottery
In Northwest Africa, there are several tribes that hold a kind of lottery every month. All sexually mature men draw lots, which will decide with whom they will spend this night. All female persons participate in the lottery, be it a young girl or an 80 year old woman. Any man can refuse to participate in the lottery, but then he will never be able to take part in it again, but women are deprived of this right.
Third Place Bride Ransom
At first glance, a fairly common custom exists in West Africa - the ransom of the bride from the mother-in-law. But unlike the tradition known to us, this custom consists in the payment for the ransom. It is the groom's job to sexually satisfy the bride's mother. And the duration of such a wondrous ransom depends on the wishes of the mother-in-law. At the same time, the bridegroom is chosen by her father.
Runner up Help from friends
In central Africa, friends help the groom to choose a bride. But they do it in a special way. After a guy likes a girl and plans to marry her, he takes her to his friends and they all have to have sex with her. If friends don't like the girl, then the wedding won't happen.
First place
In some tribes in equatorial Africa, it is believed that a man should not suffer while making love to a virgin. They prefer to send girls to the jungle so that a male gorilla fulfills an unpleasant duty. It is believed that a girl who is unable to seduce a poor animal will never be a good spouse. It would seem that it can physically be with a girl after having sex with a gorilla. But in fact, not everything is so scary. The erect penis of a gorilla reaches a length of about 7-10 cm. When I first learned about this custom, I thought it was a fake. But later I read information about this custom on the Discovery website, which confirms its truth.
Videos of the most shocking and amazing sex rituals in Africa
Africa is an interesting and exotic continent with fifty countries inhabited by more than a thousand tribes, and almost every tribe has its own colorful and distinctive culture, customs and traditions.
Many of them have survived from ancient times, although history and time have made their own adjustments and created a bizarre symbiosis of traditional African culture with the traditions brought to the continent by slave owners and conquerors.
But African wedding traditions have not changed for many hundreds of years and still carry the concept of uniting clan and tribe. The bridegroom's parents choose the bride, family problems are solved by the whole tribe, there are practically no divorces!
African girls are being prepared for the future married life with early years, and the marriages themselves are concluded quite early, at the age of 13-15 years. African women are taught from an early age to be a good housewife, and most tribes even have a special language through which women communicate only with each other.
The marriage is negotiated by the elders of the tribe and the parents due to the small age of the groom and the bride.
As a rule, a wedding celebration is scheduled for any holiday, and since most often several weddings happen on such a day at once, then all this pours out into one big celebration.
The wedding celebration lasts from one day to a week. And all this time tam-tams, drums and other national instruments are constantly sounding to ward off evil spirits from the newlyweds and all participants in the celebration.
Most often, young people adhere to traditional wedding dresses reds and golds are the colors of the kings of Africa, but today's newlyweds can also choose the traditional European white Wedding Dress and a tuxedo. The wedding season runs from May to September. Anyone can come to the wedding and usually there are up to 800 guests. If a guest has a jasmine flower behind his right ear, it means that he is busy, and if behind his left ear, then he is in search of his half. During the celebration, newlyweds sit on high chairs and the bride's chair is smaller than the groom's chair - this is a sign of submission to the future husband. Also, it is the bride who gives out to all guests boiled eggs, and those in return give gold coins. At the wedding, the bride is supposed to wear a lot of gold things and only one of her legs should have at least 250 grams. gold jewelry. Usually an African wedding lasts 7 days, and every day the bride changes expensive brocade or brocade clothes.
In addition, in some African countries, a ransom is paid for the bride to this day, somewhere with food and livestock, and somewhere with money, and this amount can range from $ 300 to $ 1,500.
And in order for the wedding to be held with dignity, the groom needs to have at least $ 15,000-20,000 for wedding expenses. Wedding treats are prepared by the bride's family.
The wedding always ends with ritual dances, symbolizing the union of the souls of the bride and groom.
V Kenya an intricate ritual pattern of red and black is applied to the bride's legs and arms, which lasts for a whole year, signifying the status of a married woman.
And the groom within a month after the wedding is obliged to go to women's clothing, in order to feel the full weight of women's household chores and become more tolerant of the spouse.
V Nigeria the groom during the wedding ceremony the groom passes through the corridor of relatives with sticks in their hands, and the father-in-law and mother-in-law are especially diligent in striking. It is believed that this test will help determine how much the newly-made husband is ready to bear the burden of family concerns. And if the bride before the wedding or in the first few months after the wedding does not gain magnificent forms, the groom has every right to send her back to her parents - to eat off.
During a Yoruba wedding ceremony, before the veiled bride is brought out, the groom and his friends prostrate themselves in front of the bride's family.
V Yemen there is a similar custom, only there the groom is tested by the blows and kicks of all the guests during the entire wedding - this is how the pride of the future husband is tamed.
V Samoa the young spouse will also be beaten with sticks, if on the first newlywed night, the young, sleeping in the parent's hut with all relatives and even pets, wake someone up.
And in Sahara girls are prepared for marriage from the age of 12, and from this age they are intensively fattening her, because it is believed that the fullness of the bride is not only evidence of the wealth of her family, but also the main attraction of the girl.
V Surma six months before the wedding, the girl is pierced lower lip and insert a clay disc-plate into it.
In this case, for the correct positioning of the plate, it is necessary to remove the two lower teeth. At certain intervals, the discs change to heavier ones and in diameter it can reach 30 cm.
It is believed that the larger the disc, the richer the bride, i.e. it is this disc that symbolizes the level of wealth of the bride's family!
A girl can remove this disc only at night, while eating, or when there are no men nearby.
The existence of this tradition is explained by 2 legends:
1. It is believed that evil spirits enter the body through the mouth, and the disk protects the girl from this.
2. Once such a decoration saved the girl from the slave traders.
Well, in fact, hardly anyone outside Surma will like such a beauty, even as an employee.
And this is what the groom looks like.
The simplest wedding ceremony is on the island of Trombian, located in New Guinea: If you want to get married, eat with your future spouse from the same plate in front of other members of the tribe. After such a ceremony, the couple is considered married.
Each nation has its own wedding ceremonies. Somewhere the father leads the bride to the altar by the hand, and somewhere the groom's friends secretly snatch her from the bedroom of her father's house. Somewhere the newlyweds are bombarded with rice, and somewhere they are showered with bills. African wedding ceremonies will certainly be considered exotic by Europeans. Well, and those traditions of African tribes, which relate to the first wedding night, will seem crazy to many!
Wedding night in a communal apartment
Among the Arican Berber tribes, the bride and groom rarely manage to stay alone the night after the wedding. It is customary for them to spend their wedding night as a team, for which several newly married couples settle down together in one large bedroom. This is considered a session of teaching love games, and in addition, according to the Berbers, relieves stress before an important event. The bride and groom do not always know each other for a long time, and it is still more fun to engage in indecency in the company of peers.
Assistant under the bed
In Swahili culture, arranged marriages are accepted between parents, and often before the wedding, the bride and groom do not know each other at all. So that they cope with the difficulties of the wedding night, from ancient times to the present day in the bedroom, under the bed, the bride's elder relative, the assistant, or somo, is arranged. If necessary, she gives advice to the newlyweds during the process, and in the morning she testifies that everything went smoothly, and presents the villagers with a sheet with traces of blood.
The Virgin's Swing
At the wedding of the Zulu people, before the newlyweds retire for their wedding night, the families of the bride and groom arrange a semblance of a dance competition. The culmination of the competition is the bride's dance, during which she must throw her leg as high as possible and remain in this position for as long as possible in front of her mother, who, in the meantime, must look under her skirt and make sure that she is still virgin. If you think about it, this moment is pure formality - unless the mother is an experienced gynecologist. But the guests are probably satisfied.
Fat night
In the Himba tribe living in Namibia, before going to the wedding night at the groom's house, the bride comes to her father's house, who tells her about her upcoming marital duties, after which her family smears the girl's head with cow fat. Fortunately, a special cowhide headdress is usually put on the bride's head - you can see it in the photo. I would like to hope that this structure can be easily removed, and the newlyweds do not have to wrestle with it all their wedding night.
Out of the blue
In the African Shona tribe, the wedding night begins even before the wedding, and for the groom it becomes a surprise. After the conclusion of the engagement, the bride herself chooses the day - more precisely, the night - on which she, in a white wedding dress and accompanied by numerous relatives, comes to the groom's house with songs and dances. Neither the groom nor his family know this date, and this is no coincidence: Sean believes that in this way the girl tests her beloved and his family for the ability to cope with unexpected problems. The unsuspecting relatives of the groom should notice the procession in time and, in turn, meet her with a joyful dance. After the mutual expression of joy, the bride remains in her mother-in-law's house, where, finally, she will be left alone with the groom. Well, the wedding ceremonies will begin in the morning.
The third is not superfluous
There is a strange tradition in the Banyankole tribe in northwestern Uganda. Before the bride gets married, her aunt must sleep with her fiancé. An experienced woman thus checks that the man is all right with potency, and at the same time evaluates his bedding talents. Then, on their wedding night, the aunt is also present in the newlyweds' room - but this time in the role of a coach: she tells inexperienced young people what to do and how to do it. I wonder how they even cope in such an environment?
The candle was burning on the table, the candle was burning
In the villages of Tunisia, the groom, having fulfilled his marital duty, must immediately light a candle and put it on the window. So he informs the whole village, carefully watching the windows, that everything went as it should, and the bride was a virgin. It is not known whether the newlyweds are embarrassed by the fact that the whole village is immediately initiated into the course of their intimate life?
Among the girlfriends
In Morocco, virginity is strict. During the bachelorette party before the wedding, bridesmaids are required to check if she is virgin and communicate their findings to all interested parties. And in the most traditional families, girlfriends come on their wedding night. Probably, in such a large company, the newlyweds have a hard time doing business!
Let there be blood!
In Ethiopia, the main concern of the wedding night is also the virginity of the bride. She must take her white head cover with her to the bedroom - it is on this that she should leave traces of blood. While the newlyweds indulge in pleasures, the newly-made mother-in-law and the groom's witness are waiting outside the door. Immediately after the end of the process, the girl should take out the blood-stained scarf to them. If for some reason there is no blood, the young husband has the right to whip his spouse with a whip and even refuse it, sending it back to his parents and demanding full compensation for the ransom.
In bed with a stranger
There are many countries where the bride meets the groom for the first time only at a wedding. But in Tanzania, everything is even worse: the girl for the first time sees her betrothed only in the bedroom, during their wedding night. Marriages there are carried out exclusively by agreement with the parents, and the bride and groom do not meet before the wedding. The whole celebration also takes place without her: while the groom and relatives are having fun, the girl, dressed up and made up, sits at home and waits for her young husband. When he arrives, the girl is escorted to the bedroom - and it was here that she first meets the one with whom she has to share a bed today - and always.
Listen everyone!
For Libyan Muslims, a wedding is a long business, and usually lasts at least five days. The bride and groom each spend the first three days in their own home. On the fourth day, the bride throws a friendly party at her home, where the groom arrives for her in the evening, taking her friends with him for courage. Then the couple, accompanied by the whole crowd of friends, goes on foot to the house of the young spouse. Among the newlywed's friends at this time, it is customary to make noise as loudly as possible and hear everyone joke about what will now happen behind a closed door. True, the bride and groom are still left alone in the house, which favorably distinguishes the Libyans from other African peoples.
Virginity as a sacrifice
At a traditional Egyptian wedding, it is not the groom who deprives the bride of her virginity. This is done by a specially called midwife, wrapping her fingers with a white handkerchief. The blood on the scarf, which is immediately shown to the groom's relatives, is an indisputable evidence of innocence, which, alas, the groom himself is not destined to fully enjoy.
Bastard night
In Namibia, a whole year is being prepared for the wedding, it is accompanied by mass celebrations, a feast for the whole world, music, dancing and other fun. However, after the celebration, the bride and groom each go to their home and spend the night separately from each other. They have to wait another whole day - only on the second night after the wedding are they allowed to lie in one bed. But, by the way, at the same time, a woman is not considered an official wife until she gives birth to her second child.
Under the typewriter
In the Sudanese Nuer tribe, after a wedding feast, friends take the bride to the groom's village, where they first shave her head, and only then take her to her husband. The meaning of this custom is incomprehensible, but the fact remains: a girl with hair has no right to go to bed with her lawful young husband.
Practice is the path to mastery
In Zambia, traditions are extremely liberal: there the bride and groom have their wedding night on the eve of the wedding. On the pre-wedding day, the bride's older relatives give her a sex master class, telling her everything they know themselves - right down to how to wash each other in the bath correctly. After that, the bride is taken to the groom's house and the young are told to practice sex until they are completely exhausted. And the next day, all the girls in the village ask the bride how everything went, waiting for detailed answers.
Newlyweds, Cameroon.
How many tribes there are in Africa (they say about a thousand), so many wedding traditions. However, there are some common elements in all African weddings. First, the groom must pay the bride price. Depending on the tribe, some things can serve as ransom - blankets, kitchen utensils, clothes, in some cases even an automatic machine; or a set of products - grain, vegetables, oil; but most often the ransom is supposed to be paid in the form of livestock - these can be goats, cows, camels. Sometimes it only takes a couple, sometimes (as in the Hamer tribe) the ransom requested is huge there, which has to be paid in installments over the years. I must say that in African culture, the ransom for the bride is not her purchase, it is an expression of gratitude to the bride's family on the part of the groom's family for raising such a girl and agreeing to give her in marriage to their son. Also, by paying the ransom, the groom demonstrates his ability to take care of his future wife.
Bride from Benin
The second common feature of African weddings is "dancing till you drop." Guests from both sides can dance the whole day, and sometimes even take over the night.
The groom of the Samburu tribe is supposed to come directly to the wedding with the previously agreed ransom for the bride, usually a certain number of cows. The girl undergoes a circumcision procedure, after which her father gives her sandals made of cow leather, and the groom - from a lion as a symbol of his courage and strength. Then the groom and his friends pick her up to take her to their house. The young walk along the line of the bride's relatives, who spit on them as blessings and wishes for happiness. Upon arrival at the groom's house, the bride does not go inside until she receives the desired number of cows in her property. If something does not suit her, she can return to her parents' house and the marriage is considered invalid.
Bride of the Ndebele tribe
At the Zulu wedding, first of all, several glasses of beer are spilled on the ground, which symbolizes an invitation to the celebration of all ancestors. A goat or cow is then sacrificed and the celebration begins. Representatives of both families line up against each other, start beating drums, uttering war cries, shouting curses, singing offensive songs, etc. Each side is given the opportunity to express whatever it thinks about the other. In the old days, the Zulu could take a bride only from another clan, which were often at enmity with each other and it came to armed conflicts. Now everything is resolved by such a conventional exchange of curses and insults.
In the Swazi tribe, the bride and her bridesmaids perform a special dance in the presence of the groom and his friends, who are trying to "kidnap" her. A whole performance is played out, which can last several hours: the bridesmaids protect the bride, the groom and his friends attack and try to break through to the bride.
The groom of the Maasai tribe. Photo Neil Fancourt
Masai wedding procession. Photo Neil Fancourt
In the Yuruba tribe, the bride and groom must taste pepper, honey and dried fish at the wedding, symbolizing bitterness, sweetness and productivity, respectively. family life... All the guests from the groom's side should be dressed in one color scheme, while the guests from the bride's side should be dressed in another, which means that not just two people get married, but two families merge.
The groom of the Samburu tribe. Photo CarellTravelGroup
In the Bororo tribe, on the wedding day, a bull is sacrificed, and a treat is prepared for the bride from his entrails - as a wish for her fertility, and for the groom - from the reproductive organs - as a wish for male strength.
In the Xhosa tribe, the bride and her bridesmaids dress alike to make it harder for the groom and his guests to recognize her. The very first portion of food is served to the bride, and only after that everyone else can start to feast too.
A Kenyan bride from the Randill tribe. Photo Eric Lafforgue
In the Masai tribe, a competition is held on the wedding day: they compete in high jump with the bride's relatives. If he manages to jump above them, then he will not have to pay the ransom. At the end of the celebration at the bride's house, the father goes out to see his daughter and bless. The blessing is carried out not in the most pleasant way from our point of view - by spitting on the forehead and chest. After that, the girl must leave her father's house, and when leaving, never turn around, since it is believed that then she can turn to stone. Upon arrival at the groom's house, she is greeted by his relatives, showering her with insults and curses, which should avert evil forces. The bride refuses to enter the house until she has received gifts that satisfy her.
Well, these are the details of African weddings that I managed to find out.
Wedding ceremonies in Africa differ dramatically depending on which tribe is being considered.
There are about 5000 tribes in Africa.
However, many of them are similar, and in total there are 1000 tribes that differ significantly in their traditions and customs, and this applies to weddings as well.
Wedding customs throughout Africa
However, there are common features of wedding ceremonies that are characteristic of all African tribes:
- the need to make a ransom for the bride's family. Before the wedding, the groom undertakes to provide for his woman, so he must demonstrate his viability and ability to obtain and create material wealth. So, things, bedding, furniture, animals can serve as a ransom. Everything that is possible. In some cases, the ransom is so large that it takes years to pay. However, Africans have a different understanding of this custom: here they do not literally buy a girl, but with the help of a ransom, they express gratitude to her family for the fact that they were able to raise a good and well-mannered mistress;
- every wedding ceremony in Africa is dancing. They even support this tradition, although their celebration is relatively calm. The dances are organized simply until you drop. The main task of the bride is to dance for enough time to show her femininity and her ability to have fun. For African tribes this is very important, and literally everyone is dancing - women, men, young and old;
- circumcision is a pre-wedding ceremony, if the girl has not gone through it earlier. In Africa, it is believed that if a girl was not circumcised in childhood, she is dirty and walking, which means that no one will marry her. However, this is not the case everywhere. In many tribes, the bridegroom is first found for the lady, and then circumcision is done. This procedure is not always successful. Sometimes girls die from blood loss, and they get infected.
- wedding ceremony with infections. Modern specialists have carried out a lot of work on communicating with Africans, but they categorically refuse to understand the pointlessness of this destructive procedure;
- during the wedding ceremony, the bride's father gives her hand-made sandals made of cow skin, and to the groom - made of lion skin;
- in many tribes, the following procedure for acquainting the bride with her new home is suggested: when she goes with the groom to his home, relatives and friends of the bride meet them there and spit in a couple. As they say, for good luck;
- until the bride enters the house and confirms that she agrees to the marriage, there is a chance to give up the whole undertaking.
Wedding customs of the Zulu tribe
This tribe loves to celebrate weddings with beer. There are no celebrations here without this drink, especially weddings.
The Zulus pour beer into glasses and put it on the floor. This is a sign for relatives and friends to come to the wedding. Everyone who wants to come. Then the celebration begins.
The Zulu celebration itself is somewhat fierce. Immediately, it does not do without sacrifice - either a goat or a cow is sacrificed. This is a kind of rite of passage for the groom, who shows his skills to the bride.
African wedding ceremonies are somewhat unusual, for example, among the Zulu they are swear words. All participants in the celebration get together, beat drums and insult each other with swear words.
Previously, the tribe pursued another strange tradition: You could only marry a girl from an enemy clan.
Wedding customs of the Swazi tribe
There is a funny custom here, which rather resembles a game. Friends of the groom are trying to break through to the bride to kidnap her.
And all would be fine, but instead of ransom, you need to overcome ... her girlfriends! And to do this, as it turned out, is not at all easy.
Wedding customs of the Yuruba tribe
It is more and more peaceful and civilized here. One amazing custom is the dress that must match between two categories of people.
The groom and guests, including relatives, from his side dress in one dress, and the guests of the bride in another.
The ancients thus suggest that two different families are reunited during the wedding.
Also, the bride and groom of the tribe must eat dried fish, pepper and honey, which should mean different feelings that are present in the life of any family.
At the same time, it is assumed that with the use of these products, the spouses prepare for the difficulties that lie in wait for them.
Bororo wedding customs
Unlike other tribes, the Bororo sacrifice not a cow, but a bull. In this case, the bull is simply cut at the wedding, its genitals are removed and given to the groom to eat, and the bride gets other parts of the bull's body.
At the same time, the groom wants masculine strength, and the bride wants fertility.
An interesting game that is considered custom by the tribe is preparing clothes with the same cut, design and color for all the bridesmaids.
This is done to make the bride more difficult to recognize.