Important Things to Know Before You Marry a Fulani Lady

Love knows no boundary. In the era of social media nowadays, we can easily connected to people all over the world. Even though we are living in the different timezone and growing up in the different culture, we still have chance to bump into one another through the internet. Thus, intercultural marriage is a common thing.

Now we're going to talk about important things to know before you marry a Fulani lady. Surely, the tribes has special traditions, customs, and traits that you better know beforehand before you tie the knot with one of the charming lady. But it's also possible that you never heard of the word "Fulani" before.

Who is Fulani?

Fulani is one of the largest ethnic group in the world, spreading all across Sahel and Africa. But the tribe mainly found in northern part of Central Africa and West Africa.They live is many African countries such as Guinea, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, and Cameroon. However, the Fulani of Nigeria are mainly pastoral and they come across different cultures as they move across vast areas of land.

There are around 20 to 25 million of Fulani people and believed to come from Middle East and North Africa. Fulani are called differently in other countries. They are called Fula in Manding language, Peul in French, Hilani in Hausa language, and Fula of Wolof in Portuguese. The population of the Fulani spreads across the world

Fulani people believe Islam in majority.

Marriage Customs in Fulani

As Fulani ia a big tribe with millions of population, they have their own tradition and customs if every aspects of life, including marriage. There are many important things to know before you marry a Fulani lady since you might be unfamiliar with the tradition the have.

1. Marriage is to Produce Many Children

In the Fulani beliefs, marriage is supposed to produce many offspring. Thus, virginity is not highly considered by Fulani. Their aimed to have many children so that young marriage ia a common thing among the Fulani. Moreover, sex before marriage is considered an experience to bring to the marriage by the ladies. Enough to say, Fulani people don't care about birth control. See also Reasons Why You Should Date an Asian

2. Paying the Dowry

In Islamic culture, dowry is a condition that should be fulfilled by a groom in a marriage ceremony. The amount and form of the dowry is depending on what the groom can afford. However, it's different in the Fulani culture. Dowry or kowgal in their language, is a must for the groom and the bride is not allowed to move in with him until he pays the dowry. The dowry is usually herds of cattle, and the recipient is the bride's father.

3. Flogging Ceremony

This could be the most important thing to know before you marry a Fulani lady. They have a tradition named flogging or sharo in the marriage ceremony. Before marrying the bride, a groom should be flogged first. It actually shows how Fulani cherish their ladies and they will do everything to protect them. The man who is able to withstand the pain of flogging is dependable enough to protect their wife. See also What to Know When Dating an Englishman

4. Paying Respect to the Bride's Family

Fulani come across many culture and countries. Beside their major customs, each countries has their own too. Like the Yoruba kingdom which has a unique tradition in wedding. The groom and his friends must bow the bride's family in prostrating act. This is just how they show respect to each other. You have to literally bow all your body until your chest touches the ground, stretching your body like a log of wood. And nobody can escape the tradition in any situation, even though the floor is dirty.

5. Virginity Test

Even though it is said that Fulani doesn't care much about virginity, it's different in Yoruba culture. Virginity remains a sacred thing to be guarded until the first night of marriage. What makes it unique is, while the two newlyweds are going to consummate the first night of marriage, the groom's whole family are waiting outside the room. They are waiting him to go out of the room and brings a blood-stained bed sheet as a proof that the bride is virgin. But this is fading away in the modern age. See also Chinese Dating Etiquette

6. The Eldest Should Get Married First

Now it's a tradition from the Igbo family. The seniority order in the family defines the marriage order. Younger child cannot get married until the elder goes first. A Fulani lady who is trapped in such situation will either proposing to her parents first that she's going to get married once the elder get married or proceeding to marriage without blessing from her family.

7. A Woman Status Increases with Childbirth

In a Fulani tradition, the status of the bride increases along with the child she bears, especially when she gives birth to a boy. She can have as many children as she wants as the Fulani loves to have many of them. See also Reason Why You Should Date a Black Girl

8. They Tend to Marry Among the Tribes

Seeing at all the important things to know before you marry a Fulani lady, their culture is surely one of a kind. Many of Fulani people are practicing endogamy. They tend to marry among the community, clan, or tribe to extend their ethnic group.

9. Fulani Main Food

Fulani mostly eat dairy products such as fresh milk or yogurt. The Fulani ladies mostly hawking all of those in decorated calabash that placed on their heads. Other foods they usually eat are Nyiri (made of flour and eaten with soups) as well latchiiri, a fermented milk with corn couscous.

If you are not a Fulani, surely you have to know all the important things before you marry a Fulani lady. Even though you love her for the way she is, you can neglected the culture she was brought up in. Upon knowing all of that, you might want to reconsider it.