He wields the power
AT a kwanjula, two spokesmen; one on the groom’s side and another on the bride’s side, represent the two families. The groom’s spokesman takes on a “receiving or listening role†as the bride’s steers the ceremony, challenging and fining the gr
By Jude Katende
AT a kwanjula, two spokesmen; one on the groom’s side and another on the bride’s side, represent the two families. The groom’s spokesman takes on a “receiving or listening role†as the bride’s steers the ceremony, challenging and fining the groom’s people just to spice up the event.
But the key aspect of the event is to educate guests on cultural matters. In the past, a spokesman (mwogezi) had to be a family member, but this has since changed.
Today, spokesmen can be hired. A spokesman is meant to guide the groom-to-be on ideal gifts to give his bride-to-be’s family.
Spokesmen wield a lot of power — they control the kwanjula. In fact, the event’s success depends on how wellversed the two spokesmen are with the cultural norms.
Michael Sebusolo blames time wasting on new concepts such as the bride-to-be changing clothes several times. This, he says, is also costly.
Sebusolo says money has also become a driving factor at kwanjulas — everything has been commercialised so that the cultural function has almost lost meaning.
The groom and bride’s families should agree on the amount of money that should be placed in the in-laws’ envelopes. The groom-to-be has to set aside money for his father in-law, mother in-law and ssengas.
The common gifts are a Bible or a kingdom certificate. He says gifts such as sugarcane and goats connote obscenity.
Kasozi says the use of framed photographs to represent the pictures of the groom also happened in the past, but the photograph should not be surrounded by flowers as the case is today.
The groom should not wear a flower around his neck like it is being done today; his sister should wear it.
Some people rate kwanjulas according to the gifts presented. Christopher Bwete, a mwogezi, advises spokesmen not to overchallenge each other because it creates animosity and could end up ruining a function.
AT a kwanjula, two spokesmen; one on the groom’s side and another on the bride’s side, represent the two families. The groom’s spokesman takes on a “receiving or listening role†as the bride’s steers the ceremony, challenging and fining the groom’s people just to spice up the event.
But the key aspect of the event is to educate guests on cultural matters. In the past, a spokesman (mwogezi) had to be a family member, but this has since changed.
Today, spokesmen can be hired. A spokesman is meant to guide the groom-to-be on ideal gifts to give his bride-to-be’s family.
Spokesmen wield a lot of power — they control the kwanjula. In fact, the event’s success depends on how wellversed the two spokesmen are with the cultural norms.
Michael Sebusolo blames time wasting on new concepts such as the bride-to-be changing clothes several times. This, he says, is also costly.
Sebusolo says money has also become a driving factor at kwanjulas — everything has been commercialised so that the cultural function has almost lost meaning.
The groom and bride’s families should agree on the amount of money that should be placed in the in-laws’ envelopes. The groom-to-be has to set aside money for his father in-law, mother in-law and ssengas.
The common gifts are a Bible or a kingdom certificate. He says gifts such as sugarcane and goats connote obscenity.
Kasozi says the use of framed photographs to represent the pictures of the groom also happened in the past, but the photograph should not be surrounded by flowers as the case is today.
The groom should not wear a flower around his neck like it is being done today; his sister should wear it.
Some people rate kwanjulas according to the gifts presented. Christopher Bwete, a mwogezi, advises spokesmen not to overchallenge each other because it creates animosity and could end up ruining a function.