Tiv traditional wedding rites

Have you heard about Tiv traditional marriage? In this article, we are going to tell you the details of this beautiful ceremony that came to us from ancient times. Read on to know the steps and other aspects of this great event.

Photo: Steps of Tiv traditional marriage

Tiv traditional wedding is known as one of the richest among all tribes of the country. Traditionally it was a very multi-component rite including the kidnapping of a future wife, giving numerous gifts and difficult ritual procedures.

Here we will consider the rites of Tiv traditional marriage of present days. We have the list of requirements and steps of all the marriage procedures. See also: Edo culture and traditions

The steps of Tiv marriage:

• The procedure starts from an official introduction. The groom should officially visit the bride’s family with the company of few of his family members. The groom should bring palm oil, salt, a bottle of wine, and bushmeat (optionally). At this official meeting, the families choose the date of the wedding ceremony. They also discuss the list for bride price.
• The next step after all the preparations is a wedding day. At this great day, males and females of the family of the bride are separated into two different rooms. The groom with the company of his family members enter the room with men of bride’s family, and they discuss the amount of dowry payment.

• Step three is the presentation of bride price. After the payment of dowry, the list of gifts should be presented to the bride’s father. This is a very important part of Tiv traditional marriage. Here we have the usual example of bride price list:

Gifts for father:

• Pig
• Local Gin
• Additional Alcoholic Drinks (which is expected in the form of money)
• Azenga (cowries)
• Matches
• Danchiki (an attire for the bride’s father)

Gifts for mother:

• Bush meat
• Umbrella
• Palm oil
• Wheelbarrow
• Salt

• Mudu (measuring Bowl)
• Mat (Tabruma)
• Chair
• Broom
• Table
• Necklace
• Soft Drinks
• Basin
• Clothes

Many of these gifts can be easily substituted or replaced with cash.

After this payment the bride should be shown to all senior men of her family, they are considered as her fathers. After that, they go together with the groom to the room with female members of bride’s family. Here the bride shows her groom to her mother and receives marriage advice from her and other women of the family. See also: Latest Yoruba traditional wedding decoration ideas

At the next step youths of the bride’s family demand some money from the groom. But this step is not mandatory.

When the rites are done, it is time for final part that is called “kwase kuhwam”. The family of groom performs ‘Swonge’ and plays traditional music as a greeting of bride’s arrival.

Tiv traditional marriage attire

Usually, the time of preparation for Tiv traditional wedding takes a lot of time, and the preparation of clothes is sometimes one of the most time-taking processes. Tiv people prefer to wear their traditional clothes at the ceremony.

Tiv people wear colorful clothes, the groom and bride attire looks like the most important elements of a wedding. The most unchanging element is black and white stripes at the clothes that are made of A’nger material. Wedding attire is also impossible without a number of accessories, such as headdresses, bracelets or necklace. Black and white beads are the most popular element.

Tiv culture is very rich and developed in many aspects, and of course, the marriage is one of the brightest element of this culture. Tiv traditional marriage is still practiced as a great cultural event. Tiv people love their traditions and continue to save and support them even in a modern world.