A Ugandan Gomez

It’s been about two weeks now, but the memory of Sunday’s Introduction ceremony stays with me! It was a day of celebration! Two young people in love were joining together in marriage…which also means that two very large families/clans were forming a bond. As I mentioned, the celebration is called an Introduction, where the groom’s family visits the bride’s home and is introduced to her family and friends typically for the first time. The Introduction I attended was a traditional Bugandan Introduction…depending on the kingdom you are from in Uganda, Introductions can be done in different ways. So, now to examine Sunday’s event. I woke up bright and early, still exhausted from the previous day’s adventure of driving to 16 different sub-counties in Mpigi District in order to make contact with health centers and the In Charge…all for research I am conducting while here. Anyway, Zurah picked me up mid-morning, and we ventured to her house, just a ten minute walk away. First thing first, I greeted more than 20 different people…with many more to go. Everyone was very excited and curious to see a Mzungu (white person) attending the Introduction :) …all in good spirit! Then I sat down with the bride, Zurah’s sister, and ate a gigantic meal of matooke, rice, meat, and potatoes! Within a few minutes, I was summoned to get dressed…so I quickly devoured my food and found my way to a back room, where many women were also preparing for the celebration. Zurah introduced me to one of her aunts who was to help wrap me up in a traditional Gomez…for the first time! :) After greeting her aunt and many others, it was time to get dressed. Zurah pulled the Gomez out of a tightly packed chest and dangled it in front of my eyes…I reached out and felt the silky smooth texture of the fabric…I was told the material was baby silk. I grasped the Gomez and held it up high to admire the amount of fabric and colors that made-up the traditional unique gown…it was a soft blue with red, orange, and yellow flowers…with a gold belt-type wrap-around (I’ve forgotten the name at the moment). After admiring the gown, it was time to get dressed. Zurah’s aunt with the help of others draped me in layers of fabric…first the under layers…then came the top layer (the Gomez itself). The final touch was to decorate my wrist in about 10 gold bracelets. I was finally ready to face ALL the guests as a Ugandan myself! As gracefully as possible, I found my way to my seat…it can be difficult walking in a Gomez…so much fabric to control and direct! So the ceremony then began with the arrival of the groom’s family. All the seats were separated into two sections facing each other…on one side sat the bride’s friends and family, while on the other side sat the groom’s friends and family. The Introduction primarily entailed the bride and her family/friends greeting the groom’s side and accepting offerings such as meats, fruits, house supplies, etc. This part of the Introduction went on for quite some time…at one point I was summoned to introduce myself and then to help serve cake to ALL the guests! Let me just say…serving cake while roaming around in a Gomez can be a slight challenge and entertaining for all the locals I’m sure! :) Shortly after came the big meal! Groups of people shuffled around gathering and eating large amounts of food! After ALL the guests ate their meals, the celebration came back to order. Now, I should explain that depending on scheduling, sometimes Introductions are done the same day as the actual wedding and other times they are done months in advance…in this case, the wedding was the same day and in another sub-county…the groom’s birthplace. So the celebration began again…this time the bride appeared in her wedding dress. She was presented to her fiancé, and shortly after they made their way to a long line of vehicles that would escort them to Masaka…the groom’s birthplace and location of their wedding. The majority of people followed the bride and groom…vehicle after vehicle of family and friends…for about a 2 or so hour drive to Masaka. I was not included in that group, for the journey would have required an over-night stay, and on Monday I had to return to work. I was informed the following day that the wedding ceremony did not even take place till around midnight…eshk! After the bride and groom began their journey to Masaka, music began for guests who stayed behind. I not only enjoyed the music but also enjoyed my remaining few minutes wearing a traditional Gomez. It was already past 4 p.m….kids danced, while adults simply sat, relaxed, and reminisced about the new young couple. After a short time, I changed out of my traditional Gomez…coming back to reality :) I enjoyed some music and a relaxing chair for some time before venturing back to my apartment. All-in-all it was a wonderful day and experience…I loved wearing the Gomez and being part of a very significant Bugandan tradition…plus Zurah informed me that everyone was very excited to see a Mzungu wearing a Gomez…and I think I wore it well! :) So that was my experience wearing a traditional Bugandan Gomez! I would recommend it to anyone! Oh and my profile picture is me wearing the infamous gown! :)

Sorry this blog has taken me so long to post…the internet is tricky…hasn’t worked this entire week…plus recently power outages have been frequent due to the rainy season! But hope you still enjoyed the story! :)

Keep the spirit alive - Ann