"You're not dancing!"

My friend and classmate Isaac invited me to his introduction.  Actually, it was really his fiancée, Alice’s introduction, as she is introducing him to her family and the community.  This is often when the bride price (dowry) is negotiated, and the groom brings many, many gifts for the family, I think in part to compensate for their losing a daughter.

Alice, the lovely bride.

I was very excited to attend; Isaac was excited that I was putting on a gomesi, a traditional Luganda dress.  Gomesis are interesting, because they’re really just held in place by the two buttons on the top left, and the sash.  It’s essentially a robe, and there’s a very long section that is folded, then draped over the sash once it’s secure.  One must wear a skirt under, as it’s a bit flimsy. 

My friend Esther on the left; Isaac’s sister Esther on the right

I was also excited to be asked to attend because while the bride can invite as many people as she wishes, the groom can only bring a certain number with him.  It’s very interesting.  I’d say there were about 30 of us, which was rather helpful later.

We met at a church near Alice’s house around noon, where we were promptly rained on.  So, we waited for the rain to pass, then we stopped to get sodas.  Upon our arrival, we formed two lines:  men and women, and we sat accordingly; women in one block, the men in another (and they didn’t quite fit under the tent, so they were a bit hot in the sun).

The one looking at the camera is Joshua, who sings with the Charity Worship Team at the cathedral where I worship.

Each “side” had an emcee, and while they were speaking Luganda and I didn’t understand a word they said, they kept things moving along well, and clearly enjoyed both their job and bantering back and forth. 

 The bride's emcee (whom I have met).

  "Our" emcee, whom I'd not met previously.

“Our” emcee then led the giving of gifts to various groups of Alice’s family:  the very young girls, the very young boys, little girls, little boys, older girls, older boys, young women, young men, and the aunties.  Each of these groups processed in to music and dancing, received their gifts, then processed out to music. 

Then the aunties brought out Alice.  She’s the one especially dressed up (and in the middle of the line). 

After that, the aunties went “looking” for the groom, and when they “found” him, pinned a flower on him, identifying him as the one.   Alice then leads Isaac to her family to be received.  Interestingly enough, Isaac’s parents do not attend this function.

Isaac is flanked by Rocky, his best man.  The introduction was also a wonderful reunion of sorts.

Then we went for the gifts for the family, and where our group size was helpful, as it was our job to bring them in.  We made three trips:  the first two times, I had a basket with a pineapple in it (which must be carried on the head, though you may use an arm for balance), and the third time, we brought gift bags.  The men carried in the furniture.

These are most of the gifts – furniture not here yet.  You don’t see the cow, nor the cow leg that was on the ground, and we had to step over.

Here is Isaac on the furniture with Alice’s father and Alice – she changed before the gifts came out.

Walking in a gomesi isn’t easy:  the dress goes to the ground (over my protest while having it made), so you must gather the skirt in your left hand.  And the left hand only; Esther was forever telling me to not use my right hand.  But it was muddy, and I really didn’t feel like falling… so I used both hands when I could.  Except when carrying the gifts.  Then you’re supposed to dance when you’re walking in – similar to how Alice and the aunties did above.

Florence – Amos’ wife, carrying a gift well.

I danced in the first time I carried in a gift like this and was rewarded with some small applause.  The second trip, I was again given a pineapple, and I was getting tired.  Esther was behind me, and halfway in, I hear “Jesca.  You’re not dancing.”  So, I guess it’s not enough to put on a gomesi, come to the introduction, and carry gifts.  One must always dance as well.  In for a penny, in for a pound…

Then of course, we ate, because the culmination of nearly every function is a meal.  At this point, it was about 6:00 (remember – we had the rain delay).  Isaac had promised me that the introduction wouldn’t take longer than four hours, and I think we were pretty close to keeping time.

Due to a number of factors, I hired Paul, the driver I usually hire, to take us.  Since I had him, I asked him to take us to a supermarket so I wouldn’t have to make another trip into Kampala.  Esther was staying over that night, and we were looking for (already popped – it’s common) popcorn, and couldn’t find it, so we asked two teenage boys to help us.  They were sufficiently enchanted with the sight of a muzungu in a gomesi that one of the boys walked us halfway across the very, very large supermarket to deliver us to the popcorn.  The woman checking us out told me I was smart.  On our way out of the store, the woman at the customer counter said, “Excuse me,” and I wondered what I did wrong.  Nothing – she wanted to tell me I was smart.

I tell American visitors here that eye contact, a smile, and a greeting make the country your oyster; I suppose I can add dressing in cultural wear to that list.