A Burundian Wedding Part 3: The Reception

Apologies, I haven't had time to proofread this (or the post before), but I figured I should go ahead and finish up writing about the wedding.

Following our time acting as paparazzi to the bride and groom, we drove to the edge of the city. 
I mean, all the way out. As soon as we got to the edge, we just turned around.

I didn't quite understand it, but my Burundian friend told me that it was so we could all welcome the new couple to the city.
Well, I hope they considered themselves welcomed as our cars trailed behind theirs.

We then drove a kilometer or so, parked our cars and got out for the last time.
We had arrived at the reception hall.
It was walled and gated (of course, everything here is gated if you have anything of value)

In America, I'm used to receptions being where everyone congratulates the bride and groom, eats a bit of cake, and socializes.

This was different.
It was a large covered area, filled with rows of blue and white plastic lawn chairs. There was space for maybe 350 people inside.
The room was a large rectangle, and the walls were decorated with orange and blue fabric.  In the center of the room were two long couches facing one another. Up on a stage, on the far wall, sat a love seat flanked by two easy chairs.
The couple ascended the stage, as did what I thought to be the matron of honor and the best man.
…I found out that these people were their advocates.
I asked my friend if they were the friends of the bride and groom. She said, "No, they don't have to be friends. They just help plan the wedding and sign the document. They are experienced people who agree to help out."
Interesting.

On the two long couches facing one another sat the immediate families of the bride and groom.

Once everyone had settled into the chairs (I was shuffled around a bit, because I was told I needed a better seat to see) the ceremony began.
The groom's father stood up and spoke for a few minutes.
Then the bride's father did the same.
I could not understand all that was said, but the emotion behind the words was clear.They loved their children and wanted them to be happy.

After the parents had sat, prerecorded music began.
It was a bad quality recording, and if I were the DJ, I would have tried to skip the song. Nope, four dancers came out wearing orange and white satin dresses, with orange bows around their necks.
They danced to the loud scratchy music. Their dance was reminiscent of hula, with arm movements and swaying.

Finally, the song was over.

The bride and groom's fathers spoke again for a few moments. They re-welcomed everyone, and made a few comments about the arranging of the marriage. They told us they would speak no more until we had all been refreshed.

First the waiters came out and presented themselves to all of the family. They shook hands with the bride, groom, the advocates, and the immediate family.

A tray was brought out carrying four goblets of orange fanta and was presented to the people on the stage.
Then everyone else was served a bottle of coke or fanta.
My friend said: "Fanta and coke only at city weddings. Food is too expensive to buy for everyone. In the country, they have a feast."

After everyone had received their bottles, the bride and groom performed a fanta-version of the cake cutting ceremony. They gave each other drinks from their goblets.
Everyone cheered.
There was no tomfoolery, as there sometimes is in the states with the smearing of the cake. It was very professional.

Music began again, and thankfully this time the sound quality was better. The four dancers emerged wearing different outfits and bells around their ankles. They also had circles of straw tied to the backs of their heads.

They went up to the stage and danced with the bride and groom. Everyone laughed at the "boldness" of the dancers.

More speeches were made, and by this time, it was getting dark, and I knew that I should be heading home. I had been with this wedding party since 2, and it was already past 6. I nudged my friend and asked if it would be possible to leave discreetly.

Okay, maybe my departure would not be so discreet, as I was the only white person in the vicinity.

Earlier, when we were out snapping pictures, I talked to a few of the other attendees, and comments were made like, "oh! Hahaha, you are so very black!" All in good fun, of course, and I didn't think about my skin color until I passed a reflective surface and realized my pigmentation was much less.

So, I nudged my friend and whispered that I needed to get back home before it got any darker.

She asked if I had my wedding gift. She said we couldn't leave until it had been presented, and that it would be better to wait until the parents of the newlyweds had presented their gifts.
I asked her how much longer that would be.
Mosquitoes were beginning to swarm, and I didn't feel good about trying to walk anywhere in the dark.
She shrugged, "Maybe a few more hours? I dunno. They might have more dancers and cake and speeches. But if you want, we can present ourselves and our gifts."

Our gifts.…

Oops. This wedding attendance was all a spur-of-the-moment thing. The night before I had been asked if I would come, and I agreed. I was so busy that bringing a gift just hadn't come to mind.
My friend told me not to worry, she would get envelopes and I could put some money in.
I didn't have much money with me, but she assured me that any amount would be okay.
What an embarrassing moment, to realize that you've committed a social faux pas. After a few minutes, she returned with envelopes.

"Ready?", my friend asked.
"What are we doing? Are we going up on that stage?"
"Yep"
So, as gracefully as I could, I stepped up onto the stage, shook the bride and groom's hands, and handed them my envelope.
My friend did the same, and we exited the reception area. We were able to get a ride to the mission from one of the wedding attendees.

I learned that the couple, towards the end of the ceremony, hands out envelopes to all of the guests, to remind them to contribute to the wedding costs. While this would be tactless in the states, I guess it is practical. Weddings are very expensive. 

I was blessed to get to see this wedding. I learned so much from plunging into the culture.