Photo/Brayz Media
By Omecha Manelik
After watching the breathtaking traditional marriage of Desire Luzinda and Levixone, one thing stood out clearly: ‘attire’ is more than fabric: it’s a language of identity, pride, and heritage. Across Africa, every tribe has a unique ceremonial dress code, especially for high-class ceremonies like marriage. But today, in the swirl of globalization and digital trends, we are witnessing a silent shift: cultures borrowing and sometimes replacing their ‘attire traditions’ with those of others.
It is not news to attend a traditional marriage in the plains of Teso, say, Katakwi, and see the bride and groom dressed in Nigerian aso-ebi-inspired outfits. They look dazzling, yes, but one wonders: at what cost to our own Ateker heritage? This is cultural dominance at work, not through colonization this time, but through media, fashion trends, and celebrity influence.
In Uganda, for instance, many brides from different tribes now prefer the Gomesi traditionally a Baganda dress for women for their introduction ceremonies. While the gomesi is elegant and nationally recognized, it has slowly overshadowed other tribes’ attire in weddings. This raises a question? Were our ancestors not creative enough to craft distinctive, lasting marriage attire? Or have we simply forgotten their designs?
Among the Iteso, traditional weddings (edukone) were less about glamorous imported fabrics and more about symbolic clothing. In pre-colonial times, women wore Aisuka (covering the chest and body), asid kede amwolai (beaded waist belts), and skin or barkcloth decorated wraps for ceremonial events. Men adorned themselves with animal skin garments, symbolic spears, and bead necklaces.
But in modern Teso weddings today, these are rarely seen. Instead, brides might wear Nigerian lace, Baganda gomesi, or Western white gowns, while grooms appear in suits or imported agbadas. The original attire survives mostly in cultural performances, festivals, and the burials of chiefs, rather than in the very ceremonies that once defined it.
A wedding is more than two people uniting; it’s a cultural statement! What the couple wears communicates their roots to the guests and the generations that follow. Attire tells stories:
The gomesi speaks of Buganda’s elegance and the respect accorded to women.The shuka in Maasai land shouts bravery and community.
The beaded attire of the Iteso whispers tales of cattle wealth, beauty, and youthfulness.
When we abandon our traditional wedding dress codes, we also abandon the stories, values, and identities tied to them.
Our ancestors were creative incredibly so. The problem isn’t that they lacked design ideas; it’s that modernization and foreign influence pushed their creations aside. The solution? A revival that blends authenticity with modern appeal.
Imagine a Teso bride wearing a gown infused with Anaaga (Asuuka) beadwork, accessorized with cowrie shells and ankle bells, standing beside a groom in a tailored Animal Print Kanzu design lined with Teso-patterned cloth. That’s not just fashion, that’s heritage walking into the future.
Cultural attire isn’t about resisting change; it’s about keeping identity alive amidst change. Let’s embrace the gomesi, the Nigerian agbada, or even the Western gown, but not at the expense of erasing our own tribal wedding dress codes. A wedding should be a runway for our roots, not just a display of imported glamour.
If we don’t wear our culture, future generations will only see it in museums — and wonder why we chose someone else’s story over our own.
The writer is a political analyst, researcher, Pan-Africanist, patriot, and lover of Teso.
frankjonahomecha@gmail.com
