Innde (Baby Naming)
A baby naming takes place 7 days after the baby is born. In the morning the parents of the man and woman come together. The woman’s parents come with a male goat. An Islamic leader comes and the parents provide money for this religious leader. The mother of the child spends time cleaning the house along with the help of her family. As soon as the husband’s family arrives, the religious leader sacrifices the goat and prays so that Allah will know the child’s name. He returns to the group after he has killed the sacrifice. A group of men hired by the parents yell the name of the child and expect money from people in return for this. The women make an excited sound in the back of their throat.
The women spend time cooking gniiri ( millet paste and sauce) and they feed everyone that comes. The women and men eat separately around a common bowl and specifically according to age groups. The elder men and visitors eat first. After everyone eats, the elder men rest until 7 at night.
The men then go back to the sacrifice and split the animal in half, crossing sticks across the body. The fire is placed in the middle of the upright animal to cook. Once it is cooked they remove the meat and cut into three parts. The first part goes to the woman who gave birth, the second to the father’s family, and the third to the old men who know the “way of the Fulbe.” After everyone finishes eating the meat they greet the mother, baby and family. The women bring skirts, headscarves, soap, jewelry and oil to the mother. For the first and possibly second child, a dance usually takes place where a drummer is hired. The woman is supposed to receive 40 days of rest after she gives birth.
A big Fulani custom for a baby naming is the shaving of the child’s head with the addition of milk in the water. This is considered the first right of passage to being a Fulani.
Kowgal (Marriage):
If a boy wants to marry a girl in Fulani culture, they will meet under a tree in the bush in the middle of the night. If the boy has no shame or embarrassment then he will come earlier that afternoon to tell the girl to meet him at night. If she likes him, she will bring him a gift such as fabric or a ring. After the boy asks to be married to her she gives him the gift and they separate and go home. The boy will then proceed to ask her father for her hand and he gives money, not more than $100 as set by the government. The father tells the boy to have patience before tying the marriage so that there is time to tell the extended families.
The night before the wedding the boy and his friends go out and cut the tendon behind the knee of a cow so that the cow cannot stand. They then sacrifice the cow. Everyone comes except the boy and girl to eat the sacrificed cow. When the meat is gone the parents of the boy and girl decide it is time to tie the marriage.
During the day of the wedding, the girl is in her house during the ceremony. She has her hair braided and hyena put on. The man is in his house as well. The two families come together for the ceremony, without the bride and groom, and they accept each other with the exchange of money.
The girl can take a couple of days or months before going to the husband’s home. The woman will spend this time buying all the household products she will need from the money that the boy paid for her. The boy’s family will provide clothing and jewelry for the girl.
The boy’s family will bring the girl to him the night of the marriage ceremony and the next morning the girl will run back to her home. She spends some time at her parents’ house until his family comes to get her. This is the proof of their love. The girl typically runs away 3 times before staying. Once she stays she helps her mother-in-law with cooking for the family group.
