Recently, I received a call from a Maasai pastor who is also attending the seminary branch in Arusha. It was early on a Friday morning that he exclaimed through the phone, "I am getting married tomorrow - can you come?" "Of course", I replied, " what time and where?". He told me the details and I started making plans. This was a very unexpected announcement and I began to think of situations that demanded a "quick wedding".
The next day, we went to the church where the ceremony was to be held. I had been informed that the event would begin at 11 am. We arrived at 10:45 am expecting to be one of the last to show. But true to form, we were actually early! Neither the bride nor the groom were there yet and I was expecting to be asked to go and pick up the bride and groom from their respective bomas and bring them to the church but there was a Tanzanian pastor who had a Land Rover and was the designated "chauffeur" to perform this duty as well as preside over the entire ceremony!
Everyone arrived and the ceremony went well. I was asked to be a photographer for one of the guests because "I knew how to take good pictures". I dutifully fulfilled my photographer role. After we exited the church, we headed for the reception, which was about a 30 minute drive away. My next role was as a "taxi driver" for all the guests who were at the ceremony, invited to the reception, and needed a ride - all 12 of them.
So off we went to the boma which had a temporary shelter erected, along with a rented sound system and generator, recorded music and
2 hand-held mics. We were seated in the formal plastic chairs along with other "honored guests". Then the reception began with greetings, welcomes, recognitions, and a short "message" by the presiding pastor. After he finished, the bride and groom were escorted to a prominent area in front of the guests and were going to "serve keki (cake ee) to the guests. A large covered pot was brought out and uncovered. Then guests were called individually to come and get their "keki" from the bride and groom. When my named was called, I proceeded to the front to receive my "treat". The bride and groom together picked up a toothpick, put it into the pot and brought out...... a piece of boiled meat - the keki. What a surprise! But they are Maasai and meat is the most important part of their diet - and a treat to get even at a wedding! Others were called to receive their keki and Pam even was able to have this experience.
As were talked with family members, we learned of the reason for this "sudden ceremony". The bride had been promised to the groom for some time. The bride price had been paid. But due to the severe draught conditions, the family wanted the bride to get married immediately so that they would not have another mouth to feed under these dire circumstances and that the cows paid for the bride would help sustain the family through these hard times.
So it was not a "shotgun wedding" but a "marriage of circumstance" which could mean the difference between survival or starving in this part of Tanzania that is drastically affected by the abnormal weather conditions and lack of rain.
Welcome to Tanzania and to the Maasai!
