Temitope Akoh Sociology (Term Project). For the Yoruba people, weddings are social affairs, which must consist of traditional rituals, and the ceremonies.

Temitope AkohSociology (Term Project)

WEDDING

• For the Yoruba people, weddings are social affairs, which must consist of traditional rituals, and the ceremonies must meet social approval by both sides of the family. Marriage is an important institution in the Yoruba history and culture. The introduction ceremony is part of the traditional marriage whereby the grooms family introduces themselves to the brides family by laying on the floor or kneeling down and also to make their intentions known of asking the hand of their daughters hand in marriage to their son.

INTODUCTION

• The ceremony takes place in the brides house and they are responsible for all preparations and costs. A proposal letter is presented to the brides family and in return an acceptance letter is given to the grooms family and then a date is fixed for the engagement ceremony. The engagement or traditional marriage also takes place in the brides house or a venue, here the grooms family are expected to bring the items listed in the marriage list given to them, items collected depends on each family and these include yam, goat, box of clothes, sugar cane, drinks, wine, a Holy Bible or Quran, plantains, kola nuts. ETC..

• The bride and groom exchange rings and vows and hence are pronounced husband and wife. Also instead of the bride wearing a big white dress and instead of the groom wearing a tux they both wear an attire called (ASO OKE)

Also at Yoruba weddings or any Nigerian Wedding they are known for spraying money on each other while dancing to show wealth.

Structures (Groups of People) : Maid of Honor ( ore iyawo) and Best man (ore oko) How do they work? They both are there to help the bride and groom with mostly everything such as the bridal shower and bachelor party. How do they work together as a whole? Their jobs are not different from each other, but rather the same. Both their jobs is to basically be there for both the brideand the groom and take care of their necessary needs.What is the function of the whole social interaction for society as a whole? The Bridesmaid job is to accompany the bride to most of the meeting and helping her make planning decisions toward the wedding, also she is the brides emotionally support, she is also held responsible for planning the bridal shower and getting the bride dressed in her [IRO & BUBA]. The Best Man job is to plan and host the bachelor party, It is the best man who must get the groom dressed in his [ AGBADA] and to the church or mosque on time. Both the maid of honor and the best man have very similar jobs.

Structural Functional

Manifest Structure – Both the groups are to be there for both the bride and the groom, they are to be their number one confidante and helper. Latent Structure – They can both also play the role of brotherhood and sisterhood to the bride and groomDysfunctions Structure – Both the made of honor and best man not being there for the bride and groom, not showing up for any of the meetings or being late to the meetings, always having disagreements about the wedding with the bride and groom. How do the structures adapt? - They both adapt because they help both the bride and groom have an enjoyable wedding that they will remember forever

Symbols - Kola nut and Palm Wine What do they mean? [KOLA NUT] is traditionally a scared nut that’s used to communicate with the Gods. As a mark of respect kola nut HAVE to be broken with a knife. Once kola nut is broken, it is shared and eaten then the ceremony starts but before that the elders must check each kola nut and interpret their meanings before they are finally broken for the bride and groom to eat to receive good blessings and ask the Gods to guide and protect them throughout their marriage life.[PALM WINE - Oguro] is a sweet alcoholic beverage created from palm trees. It is a token of respect to the deceased ancestors and it has to be served in a calabash for the groom and bride to drink out off so they can get blessings from the ancestors..

Symbolic Interaction

Does everyone agree on the meaning? Yes everyone in the Yoruba community agrees with the meaning. Although they are two different substances they both serve the same purposes. They’re the same by giving off blessings to the couple and also paying respects to the Gods and all the deceased ancestors. They are different in which one is a fruit and red in color while the other one is in liquid form and white in color.How does the interpretation of symbols shape the way people interact with each other? All Nigerians relate to the interpretation of these symbols because its serves the same purpose all throughout the different tribes in Nigeria and it shapes how they all interact with each other by bringing them all together, although all the tribes in Nigeria are different but a few of the things that makes them same in a way are the purpose of Kola nuts and Palm wine because it serves them all the same purpose. Both the symbols changes people behavior by having the guest feel as if they are welcomed to the event as well. The symbols also shapes the guest behavior by having them partake in certain chanting's such as. Won ma gbo (they will ripen) Won ma to (they will eat and not go hungry) Won ma d'agba (they will grow old)These are the chanting's everyone at the wedding takes part of the followed by a prayer

Are interactions changing on this same issue? No they are not because if the kola nut or palm wine aren’t presented at the Wedding then the ceremony wouldn’t start, because they wouldn’t be able to talk to the Gods or ancestor and ask for their blessings. If the kola nut or palm wine wasn't presented at the wedding the couples marriage life might be doomed and not last.

Also another Yoruba ritual is that, the bride and groom taste four flavors that represent different emotions within a relationship. The four flavors typically used are sour (lemon), bitter (vinegar), hot (cayenne), and sweet (honey). By tasting each of the flavors, the couple symbolically demonstrates that they will be able to get through the hard times in life, and, in the end, enjoy the sweetness of marriage

What is the ultimate goal in this situation? struggles for controlover the weddingPower Resource– Money Who has them – The Brides parent Who wants them? (who is in peer competition for it) why? The bride and groom are in competition for it , because since it is their wedding and with money they can control everything that involves with the wedding including the amount of guest they can have at the wedding, but if their parents were to be the ones paying for the wedding their might be some conflict, because their parent will give them an exact budget on how much they are willing to spend on the big day so therefore they have somewhat absolute control over the wedding. Who is winning? The parents are because they are the ones who has the money to spend

Social Conflict

Yoruba Weddings VS American WeddingsSociologically differences– Yoruba weddings and American weddings are different because of the certain rituals that takes place in a Yoruba wedding that they don’t do at an American weddings such as the breaking of a kola nut and the drinking of the palm wine. Also another Yoruba ritual is that, the bride and groom taste four flavors that represent different emotions within a relationship. The four flavors typically used are sour (lemon), bitter (vinegar), hot (cayenne), and sweet (honey). By tasting each of the flavors, the couple symbolically demonstrates that they will be able to get through the hard times in life, and, in the end, enjoy the sweetness of marriage. Also at Yoruba wedding the guest and as well as the groom and bride are in outfits called ASO OKE whereas in an American wedding people are in a more formal wear. Also the food that are being served at the wedding differentiates from each other. For example in Yoruba wedding you will eat foods such as Jollof rice, friend rice, fufu with egusi, pounded yam with okra soup, meat pie, puff puff etc., where as in the American wedding people are more likely to eat foods such as lasagna, steak with mashed potatoes, collard greens, shrimp cocktails etc,.

Application

This is a dish of jollof rice, served with mio mio and salad, as well as king prawn shrimps and fresh fish.

A Plate of egusi soup and assorted meat and fresh fish. Another great Nigerian soup

This is Fried Ripe Plantain, the Nigerian way, also called dodo. It is a common accompaniment to a dish of rice.

Another thing that differentiates Yoruba wedding from American weddings is that the Yoruba bride doesn’t wear a white dress but instead wears something called IRO & BUBA. Also the cakes are different from each other. A typical Yoruba wedding cake will either be in a shape of a Bible, Quran, calabash, fruit basket, or a drum, where as in an American wedding the wedding cakes is using in a square shape or a circular shape but they are always in layers of each other. Sociologically Similar. Although there are many differences from both a Yoruba wedding and an American wedding, they also have some similarities. One similarities they have with each other is the jumping of broom. Another similarity is that in both of the cultures the bride face has to be covered while walking down the aisle or dancing down the aisle and another similarity is that the introduction part of the wedding are both held in a Church or a Mosque where the couples are pronounced husband and wife.

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• "African Wedding Traditions and Wedding Customs." Cultural Wedding Favors & Gifts - Cultural Wedding Customs & Traditions. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. <http://www.worldlyweddings.com/african-traditions-a/121.htm>.

• Classycut. "Kola nut and Tradition." Classycut on HubPages. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. <http://classycut.hubpages.com/hub/Kola-nut-and-Tradition>.

• "MOTHERLAND NIGERIA: MARRIAGE & FAMILY (by Boomie O.)." MOTHERLAND NIGERIA (By Boomie O.). N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. <http://www.motherlandnigeria.com/life.html>.

Work Cited