The Banyankole people of Uganda in East Africa have some interesting wedding traditions. First of all, the marriage must be consummated at the groom’s house specifically.
But before the couple can get things going in the bedroom, the bride’s aunt must perform a “potency test” on her niece’s groom; that is to say, she must have s*x with him to make sure he is able to perform.
It is also done to confirm his virginity (I do not understand how). It is thought of as a sort of “s*xual check”, and while I do not know why it is the aunt who has the task of performing it, that is how they roll in southwestern Uganda.
So after the ceremony and a feast, the aunt gets into bed with her niece and new nephew-in-law, and the marriage becomes official. Some traditions say it is the aunt’s gift to her niece to instruct her and guide her in the art of lovemaking. This can even include demonstrations.
Inasmuch as this outdated practice may sound weird, it shows how the people of Banyankole, particularly the Bahima tribe hold virginity in high esteem. As soon as a Banyankole girl is eight, she goes through a lot of restrictions to prepare her for marriage.
When other children her age in other cultures are out having fun and playing, a girl in this part of Uganda is mostly kept indoors, where she is fed beef and millet porridge and forced to drink milk in large quantities so that she becom
es fat.
Being fat is synonymous with beauty among the Banyankoles. When she starts developing breasts, she is also asked by her parents to abstain from s*xual activities.
It is the duty of a Banyankole father to find a wife for his son as he pays the bridewealth as well. This consists of some cows, goats and pots of beer, depending on how rich a
person is.
Once the bride price is paid, the marriage preparations begin. On the wedding day, there is a lot of feasting at the bride’s home, where the father is expected to slaug
hter a bull.
At the bridegroom’s home, there is another feast where the marriage is consummated. This is after the bride’s aunt has “tested” her niece’s purity and slept with the groom to also check his potency.
