I was lucky enough to go to a Zulu wedding this afternoon. It was a wedding within the community where I am currently staying, and although I didn't know the bride or the groom, and hadn't been invited, I was assured it was ok for me to go to the wedding.

As it turned out, a number of the people there didn't know the bride or the groom either - it's the norm to go to a wedding of a stranger, and not to need an invitation.

The ceremony consisted of lots of dancing and singing by the bride's family members, and also by the groom's family members.

Gifts of cattle had been given from the groom to the bride's family, and assorted gifts including new bed mats, pillows and sheets were given from the bride's family to the groom's family. As far as I could determine the bride and groom themselves don't receive gifts.

The homemade beer was plentiful, and so as the event progressed the volume of the singing increased, and the dance steps got a little less precise, and a lot more animated!

When we arrived at the wedding someone went to find a member of the groom's family and he came over to greet us, and kindly confirmed that I could take some photographs. As we stood talking with him, a man came over and asked how many cows my father would want for me....I advised that I would see what others offered, and get back to him. An hour later he reminded us that he was still waiting for a number!

It was a fabuolous event, and I was very generously told by one of the guests that my going to the wedding now confirmed me as being part of the community. I didn't though feel that it meant I should take part in the traditional stick fighting that was taking place as I was leaving - so far my efforts at traditional dancing have been poor, so I'm not ready to move onto other traditional arts - especially one that requires defending myself from someone trying to beat me with a chunk of wood!