The wedding starts off with a cup of fresh blood that is consumed by the groom’s family and friends in attendance
Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania
Marriage is arranged by elders without consulting the bride and her mom. The dowry arranged by the groom’s family is presented to the bride’s family, with the bride’s mother being given a bull as a gift.
The wedding starts off with a cup of fresh blood that is consumed by the groom’s family and friends in attendance. The father of the bride blesses her by spitting on her head and breasts before she leaves.
As she leaves the house, she performs a traditional dance with “wooden sticks” with her bridal train to signify the future growth of her marriage, which should have lasting roots like that of a tree. While doing this dance, the groom’s family throws insults at the dance procession in a bid to ward off any bad luck from the bride’s new home.
It is believed that during her departure, the bride must never look back to her old home, else she would turn to stone. The final rite of the wedding is when the bride’s mother enters a hut with her gifted bull which signifies a departure of one of their family member into a new home.
