Governor This paper seeks to explore the culture of the Wolof people with emphasis on their marriage traditions. It's a Small size geocache, with difficulty of 1, terrain of 1.5. 32). This is because pillows used to be very expensive and were luxury items that only the elite members of society could afford. people are found in North Eastern part of Senegal, Mauritania, and Gambia. Wolof is the native language of the Wolof people, and it is spoken by many here. This day is celebra A tragic event too place at about 7 o'clock this evening. This will then prompt a meeting of her parents and her to accept or reject the proposal. Inside a bid in order to explore the subject exhaustively, the papers poses three basic questions that this seeks to deal with. The Wolof culture is one of most affected cultures by Western influence in comparison to other cultures in the region (Diop 101). A young boy was seen on an ever busy highway in Shanghai. inec The Wolof people are known for their rich and diverse culture, which includes music, dance, oral traditions, and spiritual practices. Their religious beliefs centered around the worship of . The population of the particular world is constituted by a range of social groupings and nationalities. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. For the girls father, the young man was expected to assist in chores such as weeding and harvesting among other masculine endeavors. Traditional marriage in Wolof culture is such a unique one where the maternal influence play a major role. The pre-Islamic religious traditions of Wolof are unknown, and neither written nor oral traditions about their traditional religion are available. Free Essay Examples Database. While some traditions take place on the wedding day, others are done in advance of the nuptials, such as burying a bottle of bourbon. The Wolof people are an ethnic grouping in North Eastern part of Senegal, parts of Mauritania, and Gambia. Federal Government prayer (Senegal is a predominantly Muslim country). Back then, it was customary for a bride to toss her garter to a crowd of men at the wedding party. Privacy Policy. [39] She places the development and spread of castes in these societies to about the 10th century, because slave capture, slave trade, and slave holding by elite families across the Sahel, West Africa, and North Africa was an established institution by then, and slavery created a template for servile relationships and social stratification. Traditionally, on the morning following the brides first night, a blood stained cloth would be displayed to show that the bride was a virgin (Agorsah 80), which was a great source of pride that inspired praise-filled songs for the bride and her mother. The Wolof [43][45] Dowery among the Wolof people is paid in the form of a brideprice. Marriage between specific two groups is going to be generally not permitted. The Wolof people are a good ethnic grouping within North Eastern a part of Senegal, parts associated with Mauritania, and Gambia. 31). Marriage Traditions of Wolof People The institution of marriage is an intrinsic part of the Wolof culture. Since the colonial era, peanuts have been the primary cash crop. Accept Read More. As the European demand for slaves increased during the 17th and 18th centuries, the era saw a corresponding increase in Wolof slave raids with the purpose of acquiring captives to transport to the coast. An intriguing aspect of these arrangements was that the intervention of diviners was sought to determine if the marriage was feasible before marriage actually took place (Gamble et al. Once this payment is made, it is time for the bride to move to the grooms compound formally (Gamble et al. It is widely believed that the color white represents purity. [7][8] The Wolof belonged to the medieval-era Wolof Empire of the Senegambia region. In Mauritania, about 8% of the population are Wolof. Wolof ceremonial traditions Ceremonies such as weddings, funerals, and baptisms, while not unique, have traditional elements distinctive to the Wolof. Social relationships within a village are based on hierarchy, while disputes are typically settled with intermediaries and Muslim tribunals headed by an Islamic judge called a qadi. Agorsah, Koffi. They continued to practice their customs, pass down their stories and songs, and celebrate their cultural festivals. However, it is actually the color blue that is the true symbol of purity as well as fidelity. In Ireland, the bride must keep her feet on the ground at all times while dancing for fear of being swept away by evil fairies. These include the role that marriage plays in the family formation in the Wolof society, what the economic background of the plural marriages is, and which traditions describe the marriage ceremony of the Wolof culture. The Wolof are primarily engaged in the occupations . 4 (1955): 391-403. The institution associated with marriage is a good intrinsic section of the Wolof culture. A compound traditionally operates a joint kitchen, but if there are internal disputes then each family unit cooks separately. The suitor firsts gifts his potential bride with a chain, marking his interest in her. [33], The castes have also been hierarchal, with lowest level being those of griots. This assertion implies that to the Wolof people, a family is an important unit, which forms a building block for other social units into which the Wolof society is organized. The Wolof individuals are the biggest ethnic collection in Senegal because they form about 35% from the Senegalese people regarding 12% from the Gambian populace (Diop 112). Historians differ regarding the origins of the bridal veil, but some trace this tradition all the way back to Ancient Greece. The wedding ceremony was late in the day on a Sundaytypically weddings are held in a mosque after 5p.m. ", When Talk Isn't Cheap: Language and Political Economy, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wolof_people&oldid=1137220874, Short description is different from Wikidata, "Related ethnic groups" needing confirmation, Articles using infobox ethnic group with image parameters, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2016, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2012, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 3 February 2023, at 13:09. Women also plant, weed, harvest crops and collect firewood. However, in the contemporary times, different parts of the world are littered with different cultural groupings. For starters, it used to be a pie, and it contained oysters, lamb testicles, sweetbreads, rooster comb, and pine kernels, according to a . November 28, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-marriage-traditions-of-wolof-culture/. Over time the sheaths of wheat have been replaced with flowers that are scattered along the path that leads up to the altar. 31). Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Like the neighbouring languages Serer and Fula, it belongs to the Senegambian branch of the NigerCongo language family. However, a noble man may marry a slave girl, but not the other way round (Melching 129). student. 32). [7][14] In English, Wollof and Woloff[4] are found, particularly in reference to the Gambian Wolof; for English-speakers, the spelling Wollof is closer to the native pronunciation of the name. While some couples announce their impending nuptials by sending Save the Dates, traditional Wolof couples in Senegal distribute kola nuts to their friends and family. MONDAY MUSINGS: CUTTING THROUGH THE NOISE. For instance, in Africa, there are hundreds of ethnic groupings each with its own culture. Diop, Elhadji. November 28, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-marriage-traditions-of-wolof-culture/. [42][43], A single compound may have multiple huts, with a patrilocal male as its head, with a different wife and her children in each hut in polygynous households. Characteristics Of The Wolof People. The Wolof attaches more importance to the stability and success of the family unit. Photo credit: Andrea Calodolce Germany This aspect causes one to want to know the kind of social environment in which this culture is practiced and why it would be subject to more Western influence than other cultures in the region. This will be accomplished right after colorful traditional wedding ceremony rituals meant in order to free wedding ceremony associated with evil create this fruitful and effective. The marriage traditions of the Wolof people show a clear picture of how the Wolof people regard family relationships and their expected contribution to the wellbeing of society. ASUU You want to personalized your v As the name implies singles day is a day set aside for young people to celebrate their youthfulness and independence. The A group of griot drummers. If successful, theyd enjoy a lifetime of good fortune as a couple. President Muhammadu Buhari The Wolof people (wlf/) - (wolf/) are an ethnic group in Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania. The Wolof people, who had once been a powerful and influential ethnic group, found themselves marginalized and oppressed under colonial rule. Governor Willie Obiano If this proposal is accepted, the parents of the bride-to be . Family members flank the happy couple clothed in blue traditional dress.] They manifest a highly conscious sense of ethnic identity and ethnic pride. Press Release This aspect makes family a very important dimension in the economic wellbeing of the Wolof people. Some clusters are random with no central plaza, and many are clustered around a plaza with a mosque in the center. Carolina Academic Press, 2005. The term Wolof also refers to the Wolof language and to their states, cultures, and traditions. Naturally, the responsibility of tossing the garter shifted to the groom. The typical farmers in a village pay rent (waref) to the landowner for the right to crop his land. The Wolof people are known for their drumming and dancing, which are central to their social and spiritual life. An intriguing aspect of these arrangements was that the intervention of diviners was sought to determine if the marriage was feasible before marriage actually took place (Gamble et al. Roter Wedding (GC3D529) was created by sashito on 2/22/2012. Together with religious beliefs as an identifying factor for polygamy, the conventional Wolof tradition viewed as many spouses just like a sign associated with prosperity and consequently, one of satisfaction plus prestige; as a result, regarding 45% associated with Wolof lots of men polygamous (Ames 396). By the early 18th-century, all sorts of charges and petty crimes resulted in the accused being punished for the slave strata. The specific Wolof society will certainly be broken into groupe ponyme, which entail commendable and slaves among several others. Queen Victoria's wedding cake weighed a whopping 300 pounds. Women of the pottery caste group, also help in steps involved in making pottery.[43]. At the same time, Victorians began to place the ring on small pillows as a display of their wealth. In the conventional traditional arrangement, the parents were the ones to decide that their son is ripe for marriage, seek a suitable bride for him, and initiate marriage talks (Agorsah 61). This research paper on The Marriage Traditions of Wolof Culture was written and submitted by your fellow https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-marriage-traditions-of-wolof-culture/, IvyPanda. The Wolof are a large ethnic group with a population of several million. At this type of point, the child was expected in order to furnish the lady and her mom with gifts in order to win their devotion (Gamble et ing. However, religious practice often contains local elements. Weddings This is a tradition thats referred to as handfasting, and is a common practice amongst various cultures around the world. [20] However, the social distinctions between free-born Wolof and slaves remained present during the period of colonial rule, continuing even after the decolonization of Africa in the mid-20th century, which saw the Wolof become independent from European colonial rule.[20]. Wolof smiths produce tools for agriculture, while another group works on gold jewelry. Anambra state When discussing marriage with the bride's parents, the groom is expected to present kola nuts and money. The go-betweens main duty was to find out the position of the girls family concerning the interest in their daughter (Gamble et al. Divorce is quite common in the Wolof society and according to the Islamic tenets. Buhari [43], Those Wolof people who are of artisan castes work on metal, weave and dye textiles, produce leather goods, make pottery and baskets, tailor clothes, produce thatch and perform such economic activity. [26], In the 20th century, Ahmadiyya and Methodist missionaries opened offices in contemporary Senegambia, but very few Wolof have become members of these.[27]. This wedding tradition dates back to the origin of arranged marriages. Anambra State Government (ANSG) Learn how your comment data is processed. Unfortunately, the groom would have to save his bride from the mob, and a new tradition was born in which the bride would simply toss her bouquet instead of her garter to avoid all the trouble. Introduction / History. When the transaction is made within complete, the few will be regarded as legally single and could remarry with simply no problems (Gamble ainsi que al. Wolof women are usually difficult workers in addition they attempt to build up prosperity through looking after individual farms as well as helping their partners within the family members farms. 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