Two Are Better Than One

Veronica, the housekeeper for the school guesthouse that is our home, married Joseph last Saturday.  Veronica delivered the fancy 12 page invitation a month ago which included the 20 steps in the order of service, the list of the 25 people in the wedding party, the 23 god parents and the names of 13 officiating clergy. Veronica thought that the ceremony would last about two hours, which we figured was an underestimation given the extensive program, but we were excited nevertheless to witness a Salone wedding.  A reception at the Eastern Polytechnic campus was to follow at 4:30.

I had to get out my long sleeve shirt and put on a tie for the first time in 3 months.  The 25-minute walk on the partially overcast day gave us a chance to work up a sweat.    Along the way we witnessed two other wedding cars decked out with streamers and honking as they drove down the street .  It must have been a good day to get married. Our plan was to arrive right at noon so that we could take a seat in the back for a quick escape if we were not up to the ordeal.  We should have factored in African time. 

Fancy Headdress

When we arrived precisely at noon, we saw a smattering of people already seated.  Popular African music was playing, but there was no indication that the event would begin soon.  We grabbed a place in the back pew to take advantage of the breeze coming through the door and entertained ourselves by people-watching.  In a traditional Salone wedding the bride and the groom each pick out cloth of a specific design and color so that a friends or family members can have clothing made that identifies them with one side or the other.   Veronica’s patterned cloth was maroon and gold, so her family would fit right in at a Minnesota Gopher football game.  Joseph’s family members seemed to have a choice of two different multi-colored patterns with primary colors of green and blue.  The most fascinating apparel were the elaborately pleated metallic cloth headdresses that many of the women wore.  They looked to Ann like origami birds taking off from the women's heads.  Clearly, there was a contest going on for the most elaborate headwear. 

New Apostolic Central Church of Kenema

Since it was the beginning of December, a few Christmas tunes were mixed in with African music. We heard “Feliz Navidad” and “Oh Christmas Tree” along with “Oh Come All Ye Faithful.”  The choir added to the music with a few practice songs to help pass the time. The sanctuary was decorated with pennants with the church name on them crisscrossed overhead.  Balloons, most of which had deflated, were interspersed among the pennants.  Two of the five ceiling fans were operational.  Time drifted on. 

The bride arrives with her entourage.

By 1:00 most of the 50-member choir had reassembled.  We became hopeful when we heard a car honking as it drove through the church gate.  The groom and his three junior attendants arrived at 1:10. Veronica’s car arrived ten minutes later, so the service finally got underway - just one and a half hours late.  The wedding ceremony began much like any other Christian service that I have attended.  The minister’s homily was on the “Ten Secrets of Marriage.”  Two of the ten that I can remember are, “Nobody is Perfect” and “Marriage is War.”  The main biblical message (which was repeated at least five times) was that “two are stronger than one.  When one falls, the other can help pull him/her up.” Thankfully, only four of the official clergy spoke. Most of the service was delivered first in English and then in Mende.  The room finally filled to capacity at about 2:00 as people continued to drift in, or by that time drift out to answer cell phones or chat with friends.   

During the vows which was step 12 in the order of service, the audience became rather boisterous whenever the groom or bride made a promise and when the rings were exchanged. Whoops, hollers, and cheers erupted. People began to crowd around the couple at the front of the sanctuary holding  their cell phones and tablets high to capture the event electronically. When the couple kissed, fake snow from a can was sprayed over Veronica's and Joseph's heads.  Pandemonium ensued after the kiss. People began shouting, singing, blowing whistles, and generally storming the aisles to get closer to the front and get pictures. The minister gave the marriage blessing over the din, and then the crowd formed a dance line up to the couple for the “love offering”, step 17.  Up front the bride and groom sat with baskets in their laps as wrinkled Leones were dropped in.  Was there a contest to see who could gather in the most money?  After depositing our contribution and congratulating the couple, Ann and I took advantage of the bedlam and danced out of the church.  Already a crowd had gathered there.  Drums were beating.  Walking vendors brought snacks and cold drinks to sell. Some even ventured into the church with their wares before the recessional.



Two of the couple's daughters, Theresa and Princess, in gold
(first and third from the left) are joined by their friends at the reception.
The girls in the matching print dresses are wearing the groom's cloth choice.

The reception was held just a minute from our house on campus.  This time we waited to hear the music before we ventured over. We were given favored seats  (school desks) up on the stage of Kabba Hall behind the wedding party and served a strong ginger drink and a meat pie as we waited for the couple to make their grand entrance into the auditorium which they did shortly afterward, dancing  to the heavy beat of the African music to the crowd's delight - whistles and cheers again.  Veronica had told me the day before she was a little nervous because  she couldn't dance.  But that is not true.  She acquitted herself well.  There were the usual long speeches and toasts and the cutting of the cake.  Dinners (rice, fish, meat kabobs) and drinks (Coke, orange, Sprite) were served to everyone inside the hall and outside - probably at least 400 folks.  Ann and I slipped out before the official opening of the gifts, the temperature inside the building being about 105. I had exhausted two water bottles and a Fanta.  We heard the party break up an hour later as darkness approached.  Congratulations Joseph and Veronica!

Joseph and Veronica