Wedding Special
It hasn’t always to be Las Vegas
Bridal couples or couples celebrating their 25th or 50th wedding anniversary are invited for a wedding ceremony in a Maasai village. It is the village where Muthonis mother is descending from. Now she is a University professor and CEO of HMM Safaris, but never has broken off the contact to her relatives. They are living today the same way as their ancestors have done for centuries. Their kraal is situated in the middle of nowhere in the savanna of Masai Mara. The huts are layed out in a circle and are protected by a thornbush fence against wild animals.They still stick to the old way of life and old customs, one of them a wedding ceremony. We are invited to come to their village together with our guests and if you like to marry according to the maasai ritual or to renew your breach of promise you are free to do so. Of course you will be doing it not in jeans and t-shirt. You will be fitted out with the traditional and colourful maasai costumes which you can take home afterwards.
We declare expressly that this is not one of the well organised touristic shows, near the tamarced road and only a few minutes away from the next 4star lodge. It is a very familial invitation, exclusively for Muthoni and her guests. We therefore respect the rules of the maasai tribe and everything which might be strange and exotic to us. In reverse we get a chance to get a very close sight of the culture and style of living of the most famous tribe of East Africa.
If you are intrested in this very „exotic“ version of a wedding please feel free to contact us. Then we can work out together with you a suitable side program. Of course you also can bring some wedding guests.
To give you an impression what is going on
Upon arrival in the Maasai Village, the couple will be separated and taken to different maasai villages. The bride and the groom will be prepared for the ceremony in their host families. such as being dressed in the traditional Maasai ligalia and much more. Then the groom together with some young warriors comes to the bride‘s house to pick and escort her to his village where the celebration is held.
Before the bride leaves the house, grass is tied on her shoes. For the cattle-loving Maasai, tying of grass symbolizes abundance (of milk) and further blessing to the bride in her marriage. The journey to and from the brides village is accompanied by songs and colourful dances. The bride is escorted by her agemates to the grooms village. When she arrives at the groom‘s house, she is given a baby or young child to hold. Such action symbolises the expectation of her to have children and carry on the linage.
Facing east, a symbol of new beginnings, the couple will receive a Maasai blessing from a Maasai elder. It goes like this:
Entaseriana – Be safe forever
Entobikoi – Have a long life
Entubul emputa enkop – Multiply and fill the earth
Meishuro Nkera Inyi – May your children succeed in life
Metapaasha Intae Ilmeita – May all bad things move away from your family
Entorik Enkop – May you lead the world
To which the bride, groom and wedding party will answer in unison: NAAI – Oh God.
After much discussion between all the Maasai present the ceremony will end with the bride beeing given a Maasai name.
However, it is important to note that some custom practices will not be adhered, to such as those of having the bride‘s head shaven bald the day before the wedding.