Sights, Sounds & Stories Corner: My First Zulu Wedding

One of the best ways to enjoy Africa’s vibrancy is by attending a traditional African Wedding. Electrifying, Emotional, Spellbinding, Beautiful, Dramatic…and much more, are all adjectives I would use to describe what goes on. Last weekend I had the great privilege of accompanying my friend Trixie Koki, to her cousins’ traditional Zulu wedding in the township of Kroonstad, South Africa.

We left the city of Johannesburg in the early hours of the morning, and set off for our 3hr road trip to the township/village. Since arriving to South Africa, this trip would be my first time to the rural part of the country, so needless to say, I was pretty darn excited.

Kroonstad is a cozy little place with the most amazingly hospitable people. Upon arriving in town, I felt right at home. Though as is common with rural communities in Africa, you could immediately tell that the village was taking a hit from rapid urbanization. In other words, most of the able members of the community had left in search of greener pastures in the cities. Everywhere you looked, you could see the signs of a disproportionate amount of older folks and young children. However, for those who have remained in Kroonstad, life is one happy, laid back and content affair.

THE WEDDING

From the moment I arrived at the wedding hall, I knew I was in for a treat. Like a typical girl, I was mesmerized by the colorful and fabulous attires of the guests in attendance. You will see from my pictures that this was one of my main areas of focus J

The ceremony was absolutely breathtaking. African culture and traditions are truly a sight to behold. The chants, singing, and music gave me goose bumps, and the insanely talented dancing made me get on YouTube right away, in a quest to learn the moves. All in all, my first Zulu wedding experience convinced me that when I do get married, I am definitely having it in Africa.