If you have ever attended an African wedding, you’d understand when we say that it takes a village to plan a wedding.

In all African societies, weddings are a family affair attended by family members far and wide, with some travelling cities away to attend the special event.

For the Banyankole people of Uganda, the family’s involvement in the marriage process goes beyond just planning and attending the events. 

The Ankole tribe, found in the traditional Bantu kingdom, are well known for their unique marriage practice that involves a series of test including a potency test. 

What’s even more important is the crucial roles played by the Banyankole aunt in this ceremony. 

The Role of The Aunt

Female Banyankole children are handed over to their aunts at eight or nine. These aunties are responsible for prepping them for family life.

The Banyankole aunt teaches her niece all she needs to know about womanhood, particularly her duties as a wife. 

In this culture, virginity is held in high regard and a marriage criterion. In fact, any girl who is discovered not to be a virgin before marriage faces a death penalty or ostracsation from society. 

The aunt is also responsible for ensuring that the young child looks her best to enable her find a husband faster.

Thickness is synonymous with beauty in Banuakole. 

And every young girl is required to go through a fattening process, where she’ll be fed millet, beef and milk to speed up her weight gain. This is to ensure that she is considered attractive by men in the community. 

Finding A Husband 

A Banyankole father has to find a wife for his son as he pays the bride’s dowry as well. 

The dowry usually includes some cows, goats and pots of beer, depending on the person’s wealth.

Once the bride price is paid, marriage preparations begin. 

Testing The Groom’s Potency

The work of the Banuakole aunty doesn’t end at training the girl child; she also holds the important role of testing the groom’s potency before marriage. And confirming that the bride is a virgin. 

In this traditional ceremony, the aunt sleeps with the husband-to-be to text his sexual poweress. By doing so, she learns his sexual prowess and favourite styles which she then ‘gifts’ her niece to help her please her husband sexually. 

The bride is also tested by her aunt to confirm her virginity. When she passes, she is presumed she has no knowledge of sex or how to please her new husband sexually. Thus, the ‘gifts’ from her aunt are viewed as helpful. 

Marriage Ceremony

Banyakole marriages include several ceremonies. One of which is Kuhingira, a giveaway period where the bride is showered with gifts like cows and other food items to take to her matrimonial home. 

Another ceremony is the Okukoza Omunuriro ritual, where the bride lights her first fire in her new kitchen.  

The wedding feast is organized in the bride’s home, and her father is expected to kill a bull in celebration of the union.

After which a marriage consummation feast is held at the groom’s home once he and his wife have passed their potency tests. In some cases, the aunt watches the couple during intercourse. 

Different African societies come with their different marriage cultures and marriages. For the Banyankole people, marriage is vital to their culture and their marriage traditions have managed to remain through time.