Other Events
(Traditional Ceremonies)
Our History
Not too long ago when my sweet grandmother was still alive, she used to host and train Balanjos including her own girls and grandchildren because then and even since ancient times, a girl was required to possess confident life skills when coming of age and be of a virtuous character to bring her family honor or uphold it always. In order to ensure this, a girl had to undergo thorough training by seasoned senior women.
Training
It was said that only seasoned grandmothers, married, divorced, widowed women and those who had just come out of the ceremonies were allowed to take part in this prestigious training which commenced on the very first day of a girl’s coming of age and no male was allowed to see her face during her initiation period till the initiation ceremony day when she would be pampered and paraded like a young bride she is. Unfortunately, this training is no longer compulsory and only a few families still maintain it.
After the rigorous training which included all the tips and perks of cultural values, humility with confidence, compassion, womanhood, motherhood, relationships, marriage and family, life after widowhood and divorce; subjects of home health, safety and hygiene, home craft, woodcraft, home economics, needlework, cooking, tapestry, knitting, gardening and construction among others, the girl would then be considered to have crossed all the training huddles and certified with a jubilant dancing and singing ceremony.
Ceremonial Proceedings
This ceremony (the coming of age) would commence in the evening and continue for the rest of the night till the morning when the bride would make her appearance into the ceremonial arena dressed up and adorned like a bride. The floor of the arena would be covered with beautifully and skillfully brand new handmade mats (The modern red carpet) and its sides would boast with flags of Chitenges in different colors, many flags signaled her family’s wealth while its center would host a stage of the most seasoned Silimba drummers and dancers. The crowd’s ululating and dancing would gesture her majestic entrance. This is a mother’s proudest moment and a grandmother’s crown of glory. My grandmother hosted the best Balanjos and ceremonies ever and to this day, I am yet to come across any granny who will break her record. All her Balanjos were not beaten with an ill heart and their Tushambelis only required polishing up of their training by the time they came of age themselves.
On this celebratory day, people would come from all walks of life to witness the newly initiated and empowered young lady. Mother and Granny would be dancing “Mwanangu mwanangu, mwanangu” in ecstasy like it’s their last day. A very fortunate girl would even get betrothed during the training or on the ceremonial day after news is out of her good mannerism and passing with flying colors of all tests.
Any girl who would go to adulthood without passing through this training was considered uncultured, un-empowered and unworthy of keeping a relationship, a job, let alone marriage.
For us to find solutions to current situations of gender based violations and related ills, we have to go back to the basics and this is why Our Honey invites you to come and be part of these purposefully crafted ceremonies because thinking about them gets me too excited and emotional I can’t tell you all.
You do not want to miss this! There is cultural dancing, singing, traditional attires, food and drinks to be had. There is ululating and all sorts of traditional drama to be seen. The Misisi dance groups, Sipelu, Silimba dance groups and the Makishis all love this platform to showcase their talents.
__________________________________________________________________________
Come and experience culture without limitations.
These events take place every quarter to allow our girls time for school (by the way, they used to get booked off from school for as long as it took for them to be champions Remember no man was allowed to see them while they were still undergoing the training so imagine having to go to school!) Times have changed though and we have to fuse tradition with modernization.
__________________________________________________________________________