Nupe Culture: Unveiling Of The Bride (Yawo Wadzun)

- June 25, 2023

By, Hussaina Idris Manarakis

Nupe Novelist

Marriage is one of the most strongest ceremony practiced by different languages, places and cultures in the world, because the two important religions that we have talks about its significant. Whereby every culture has its own way of conducting marriage ceremonies.

However, Marriage in Nupe Land is always a special occasion that's traditionally showcasing different activities. The relatives, friends and neighbors too will gather to dance, sing and play with the bride.

Marriage in Nupe tradition is divided into four segment; the bridal shower, wedding (officiating either in Islam or Christianity way), bride conveyance and unveiling of the bride which is the last part.

After taking the bride to her husband's house, it is prohibited for her to be seen outside. She cannot eat or drink in from the house until after unveiling her. All the foods that she will be eating at that moment will be brought and served from her house because she is yet to be unveiled and as a new bride, she has to be shy of her new in-laws and cover her face till when officially unveil to her new family.

When unveiling the bride, her husband and his friends will be gathered, including the groom's family members. The bride's face will be covered with two wrappers and two of her friends will be there too. One at her right hand side and the other one at her left hand side.

Before they start the unveiling of the bride, the bride's friends will move round to collect money from people, especially from bride groom's family and friends. And immediately the groom arrives, the program begins with singing and dancing in Nupe tradition. Groom's friends will also settle the bride friends with a certain amount of money, which will be more than any other money given to them there. Local calabash beats are serve as a means of entertainment with local and cultural songs that will go along with the ceremony. And every young lady or woman at the ceremony, will engage in making out a rustling sound from their mouth using their tongues. Nupe people call it 》

kpa wulele.

Another important thing that day is choosing of bride's mummy from the groom's family. She will be the one to unveil her, offer her plenty gifts like; traditional Nupe attires, cook one mudu of rice, hair cream, palm oil, slippers, fish, maggi .... etc; just to welcome the bride to the family as her new mummy.

After unveiling the bride by new mummy, they will now open the stage for her and her friends to dance. Then from there, she will be accompany by two of her friends and mummy that will lead them to go round the house for greetings and familiarizing.

Uptil date that's how marriage and unveiling of the bride is in some or most part of Nupe Land for both Muslims and Christians.

============================

IN NUPE: YAWO WADZUN

Yawo dan mini enya na ezhimi zhi gboka saranyi na, dannazhi betoh dandan e ebona wurumi guba na yi de na gbo egan yawo ka saranyi. Dandan ndondo yi be kendo e jin yawo nyaba a jin na e. Yawo Kinnupe o yi yekanye wunciko ebo edzozhi e la gun kakanyi beto yegizhi, eyazhi abeto emiletsogunzhi. Nama yawo jin e la gankpa gunni na; Yawo rufadan(Bridal shower), Yawo pa(Wedding), Yawo go(Bride home coming) be Yawo wadzun i(Unveiling of the bride) nayi nya etizogi na e.

Aga yawo lada emiba zo, dandan yi Nupencizhi e lugwa wun tinya be a, wun a gi enyagici emiba a ko nuwan a sayi aga yawo wadzun bedzo. Enyagici na wunga a gi kpata na emi yawo bo a la u be o. Ebo ede na ah la a kpe eti u bo a na, kpaka wun yi na wunma a fe zun zunye na o. Bayawo toh eya u zhi ciga gunzhi eba yawo wadzun o. Toh yegi bayawo zhi kpata. Eye yawo a yi be ede e kpeye o be ede wangi abeto eya guba e. Nini a shi gwalo, nini ma a shi gwapin o.

Kamin a ca na, eya yawozhi ci a fe da go ewo be ezazhi, kamin a wa yawo dzun na. Bayawozhi ga dabe zo aci a ca edzodzhi nyi dzo abeto enizhi nyi ko e. Eya bayawo zhi o tso ci a la ewo ya eya yawozhi ma. Ewo na eya bayawozhi e ya na e gan nya eza ndondo baga o. Epun toh ponto nicizhi ci a fe ni pun be eni dandan zhi kakanyi. Nyizagizhi ci a fe kpa Wulele.

Enya natso yi kotsonkoko foga na gayi Nna yawo gikata go. Ama e de Nna yawo gikata de eba yegi bayawozhi o. Nna na ga go yawo egi kata na ci a kpe u ede eye o, baga o ga wun a la enya zhi be ya yawo ke; Ede na, wunga eje bo, Zhira emagi nini, Emi etitin, Emi dzuru, Eda papagi, Yikan toh Kulatsa nasara be nazhi be a na e.

Aga ede kpe eye yawo zo ga a kpe eda ya wun o, wunci a ca enyan nyi nyan be eyazhi. Aga nana jin zo ga yawo be eya u gubaba a da sa ezazhi mi gancin o ebo a kpe dozhi ye o. Baga o ma edzo yawo wadzun a zo. Aribe yinana e aniga e wa yawo dzun Kinnupe bo, Mishanzhi toh Musulumizhi beni o.