Marriage is a cultural institution present in many societies around the world. Every culture has its own traditions and customs surrounding this important stage of life. One such culture is that of the Banyankoles, an ethnic group from Uganda.
The Banyankoles have a very particular approach to marriage, where the bride’s aunt plays a central role. From the age of eight, the aunt began to prepare the girl for marriage. One priority is to ensure that the bride remains a virgin until the wedding night, as a non-virgin bride is considered less valued and may be socially excluded or even sentenced to death.
For this, the bride’s aunt is responsible for testing her niece’s virginity before the wedding. Moreover, she also has the mission to test the sexual skills of the future husband by having sex with him. This practice aims to assess the husband’s competence and teach the bride what she can expect from her future husband.
The wedding preparations begin after the groom pays the dowry. There are many festivities and banquets at the bride’s house on the wedding day, where the father kills a bull to celebrate the occasion. Once the ceremony is over, the bride’s aunt even observes the sexual lovemaking between the bride and groom in order to advise them and help them improve their sex life.
These practices may seem strange and shocking to some people, but they are an integral part of Banyankole culture. It is important to respect and understand the different traditions and customs that exist around the world, even if they differ from our own norms and values.
In conclusion, marriage is a universal institution, but each culture celebrates it in its own way. The Banyankoles have unique rituals that emphasize the virginity of the bride and the sexual competence of the groom, with a key role given to the bride’s aunt. These traditions may seem strange to some, but they are deeply rooted in the culture and beliefs of this Ugandan ethnic group.