Dote

On Saturday we had the opportunity to attend our friend’s dote, or dowry ceremony. Traditionally this is the time when the families negotiate the price of the bride. Now they do it because it is tradition, but it is all a show.

The bride’s family sits facing the groom’s family with the leaders of the families sitting at the center.

The bride’s father gets up and asks why we have all come to his house, he pretends that they have no idea why we came. Then the leader of the grooms family says that Jean-Claude, the groom to be, has seen Francine and is now sick because of her. The father says, “what do you think we are a hospital?” And it goes on back and forth like this, until they agree that they want their families to be united. It’s funny because they are doing all this negotiation, but I already have the printed wedding invitation, so we know what the outcome is going to be. During the negotiation people are laughing because of what the leaders are saying, so it is all in good humor and just to preserve their culture.

After they agree that the marriage will take place the father says that he doesn’t know where Francine is but that he will send someone to look for her.

Then the women and the bride to be parade in.

Jean-Claude and Francine greet the two families and then exchange gifts. Jean-Claude received a bible and Francine received her engagement ring.

It was a very interesting ceremony and I am excited to attend the wedding in November.

The baskets are full of various items and were carried into the ceremony as a gift to the bride’s family. The bride’s family then empties the baskets, in private, and fills them with their own gifts and then they are returned to the groom’s family at the end. they are full of items like potatoes, carrots and sugar.