Yawo Rufadan: A Must-do Ritual for Every Nupe Bride

- July 02, 2023

By Hussaina Idris Manarakis

Nupe Novelist

The Nupe bridal bath, also known as Yawo rufadan is performed on a bride before the fatiha (solemnization and conveyance). The bath signifies the end of a single life for the bride from that day. It is a cleansing of sorts. The culture, which has been handed down by our grandmothers, is still practiced today, even though some parts of it are being modified. The ritual is almost as important as the wedding solemnizazation and its ceremony is a fanfare. History has it that, before the bath, a lady is permitted to go anywhere but after the bath, she is not allowed out of her parents' house until after every other ceremony is completed and she is conveyed to her husband's house.

How yawo rufadan is performed...

On the dawn of the wedding fatiha, the bride is woken up and, accompanied by her friends and female family members, she is led to a small stool in the middle of the house then an older woman, who is experienced, will come and bathe her. Items like a clean bucket of warm water, bowl and calabash are placed beside her and then the bath commences with glorifications to Allah. Prayers are said for the bride and tasbeeh (rosary beads) are counted over and over while water is being poured on her head. Wulele kpa (yodelling using a high-piched voice) is also done by women alot. It is said that yodelling is done 3 times in every woman's life the day she is born, the day she gets married, and when she becomes a mother.

She is then wrapped in a new, two-peice wrapper, discarding her old clothes for new. She is then given the claypot to throw on the ground, breaking it. One of her friends will go ahead to further break it into pieces three times. These all signify an end to her spinsterhood.

Emotional times...

The old clothes discarded by the bride after the bath are given to the woman who bathed her. Afterwards, the bride, now bathed and dressed from head to toe, again sits on the mat placed in the compound while female family members will surround her, singing traditional songs and dancing. Some songs make the bride emotional, that she may end up crying until daybreak.

There are three shocking new realities for a new bride; one is when performing the ritual bath, the other is the day she is conveyed to her husband's house and the last one is on their first night together as a couple.

Changing times...

The reason why this tradition is no longer practiced according to the ancient ways is due to spiritual reasons. It is believed some ladies are affected or possessed by jinns which may be triggered off in the process of bathing and wulele kpa. It is because of this that ablution only is required in public instead and the pot breaking.

After the ablution, the bride can go inside, have a proper bath, perform her fajr (early morning prayers) and continue with the other aspects of the ceremony. This is for the Muslim bride.

Traditions are still sacred...

The importance of selecting a godmother (nna yawo or nna kata yawo) for the bride from the groom's family is for the bride to have a guide within the groom's family. Nna yawo stands in place of a mother if she needs advice, or any other thing before the information gets to her parents. This person is supposed to protect the bride and treat her like she would her own daughter, that's why an older and experienced married woman is best, instead of a single female from the family.

Conclusion..

Nupe people, bridal ritual bath is our culture, and we shouldn't leave this culture because it is a legacy handed down to us by our ancestors. It is our heritage, and other people can't give you theirs. Let's hold on to it firmly.