Wow. I really cannot think of the adequate words to describe such a beautiful, emotional day. But here’s my (well, our) attempt.

Just so you know, our professors Jonathan and Tara got married today. Yes, you read correctly, they got married. And not only was it an amazing ceremony, it was a traditional Swazi wedding, one colored with deep reds, harmonized with beautiful songs, and of course amazing dancing on the part of both the groom and bride.

First, we started off our day with an early, early breakfast — whereas our usual breakfast is at 9, today we were scheduled at 7:30 in order to help Mrs. Mkoko with any last minute chores. Being her usual kind yet stubborn self, the class was only allowed to wash some lettuce, with one exception of course: Jared (known around here as Mandlancosi, the King) was able to aid in cutting the chicken.

What ensued – a day full of dancing, bowing, crying, running, laughing, playing, and so much more – was an experience that my words alone would never be able to depict, so I called in for everyone else’s experience and asked them to share some words about today.

**For a quick summary, the day started with us getting dressed into our traditional Swazi attire, continued with the customary trip to the goat pen where the bridal party cries and sings, then was followed by about an hour and a half of dancing on both the side of Tara and Jonathan (we later found out that this exchange was symbolic of the process of acceptance of the bride). Soon after, we were fortunately introduced to an amazing Swazi boys’ dance group, and then ended up playing with the kids for a couple of hours thereafter.

Here it goes:

Katrina U. – The wedding was one of those events that made me think: “This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.” This morning, I was anticipating what it would be like to attend a traditional wedding in Swaziland, never imagining that we would actually be part of the ceremony! As a “bridesmaid,” learning the appropriate songs and dances during the wedding was a very interesting combination of being completely lost and failing to understand much of what was happening while also having a great time slowly picking up the rhythms and melodies. I was completely out of my comfort zone, under the gaze of fifty or so strangers, yet I was also excited to be playing a role in something completely different from anything I’ve known. Once again, I am thankful for the opportunity this class offers to learn on the fly, just as I am grateful that I was able to be part of such a special occasion and share in these memories with everyone on this trip.

Shalila D. – From the moment we got up to the moment that I wrote this blurb, we did not stop moving. The wedding festivities started at around 11 A.M when we all got into our traditional Swazi attire. We then started the ceremony, which was full of dancing, singing and walking back and forth for approximately 90 minutes on a small patch of land. The day continued with songs and games, and ended with the most awe inspiring night sky as we all drove back in the back of a pickup truck. Some people felt like today was a dream; so incredibly different from anything we usually experience. But rather than seeing this as a dream, I felt it to be the most real and beautifully raw experience I’ve had in a very long time. Full of unrestrained laughter, tears of joy, screams of delight, games, love.

Brittany S. – Today, our professors were married in the most amazing and elaborate wedding ceremony I could possibly imagine. We arrived at the Mkoko’s house at around 9:30 AM, and we didn’t leave until 5:30 PM. Those eight hours were filled with traditional Swazi wedding dances and songs, and we all wore traditional Swazi wedding attire.  We learned how to sing Swazi songs, and we taught some of the kids in attendance our favorite games from our childhood. As members of the bridal party, we had to be a part of several dances and songs during the ceremony. While people were definitely laughing more at us than with us, I had one of the best days of my life.

Jessica M. – We began the day unsure what to expect about the mysterious Swazi wedding, but we were all excited and up for just about anything. Every time we asked the Mkokos what to expect, they just laughed at us hysterically. As I write this, it is midnight and the day has finally come to a close. Yet I feel as if I have been within some kind of dream. We danced traditional dances for hours, despite having no idea what we were doing and saying. We sang “Don’t Stop Believing”to fifty Swazis upon Jonathan’s suggestion to share some American culture. We played all sorts of games with the kids from Ka-Shoba. We ate an incredible feast of pop, chicken stew and salad cooked by Ms. Mkoko, crouching on the Mkoko’s kitchen floor. We crammed ourselves into the back of a pickup truck and drove home beneath an ocean of stars. I feel endlessly grateful for the experiences we had today. I cannot remember a time when I laughed so hard or smiled so much. Words cannot explain the magic that lived within this day. I wish our professors this continued magic and adventure throughout the rest of their lives together. Congratulations to Tara and Jonathan!

Jared Y. – Through today’s wedding ceremony, I got to learn so much more about Swazi society and culture. Being able to observe the different rites and rituals that the Swazis practice, and to take part in them is truly an experience of a lifetime. More than that, I got to experience the community that ordinary Swazis live in. These people were not well off and they face many problems in their lives. But through simple festivities, the community came together; welcomed us, celebrated with us, and made us a part of their family and their lives. This warmth and hospitality was my greatest takeaway from this once in a lifetime experience.

Sanjana T. – Weddings are my favorite kind of celebration. Even so, I can’t remember a more exciting wedding than the one that I had the opportunity to be a part of today. Jonathan and Tara’s traditional Swazi wedding was complete with home-brewed beer, feathers, spears, traditional robes, pap and Siswati, all of which was new and exciting. My favorite parts of the day were the parts of weddings that I always knew I loved: the excitement of dressing the bride, the promise of good food and lots of singing and dancing. Most importantly, there was that familial sense of togetherness and collective joy. 

As you can see, I definitely wasn’t lying when I said it was an amazing day. We rode back from the Mkoko’s in the back of a pickup truck; although we were cramped, it was an amazing ride under the stars, one I think a lot of us will never forget. And to make it all better, we spent the rest of the night bonding the Zola and Tyson, the Mkoko boys, while playing pool, cards, drinking tea and always laughing. Some others got to listen to the owner of our lodge, Tim, while others hung out in their rooms to debrief after a busy day.  After many hours of anxiously waiting, we finally got to welcome Allen, Jonathan’s brother and producer, to the team. To finish off the night, we enjoyed a yummy meal and great (tired? Yes, but still great!) conversation.

Well, cheers to an amazing day, everyone! Congratulations Tara and Jonathan!