Ashanti Traditional Wedding
Photo Credit: Omg Voice
Photo Credit: Ghana Culture Politics
Photo Credit: Naa Oyoo Quartey
Among the Ashanti people of Ghana, when a couple agrees that they want to marry, a delegation for the groom’s father will go to the door of the bride-to-be’s family and knock on the door, called “ka-kra-kra,” mimicking the sound of knocking.
Traditionally, once the door is opened, the groom’s intentions are announced to the bride’s family with a bottle of palm wine and money. In modern times, though, the palm wine is said to have been replaced with schnapps. After the announcement, the bride’s family will send the groom’s delegation away, saying they need time to consider the proposal.
It is at this point that the bride’s family investigates the background of the groom, and a wedding date is chosen. The central part of the wedding ceremony is the sharing of drinks (tiri nsa) as well as a number of monetary gifts that are offered to a bride’s mother and brothers (akontagye sekan).
In terms of style and fashion, the iconic Kente fabric takes a place of pride on the occasion, with creative local tailors perfecting the art of fashioning the cloth into a variety of trendy and shapely designs for the bride, groom, and bridal train.
