"The Wedding" ~ November 2001
Wedding preparations are well underway and everything is running like clockwork! Yesterday saw the first major event take place on the wedding itinerary - special sundowners on the river sand at the Tena Tena river crossing point (this time it was on the opposite side of the bank to where Robin's 50th drinks were held two weeks ago). Shanie, Corinna and Noodles prepared mouthwatering finger food and served what appeared to be endless jugs of refreshing Pims. Just before sunset 90 guests and staff sat on the slope to watch a brilliant performance of Horn of Sorrow, a local play about the poaching of the black rhino out of the South Luangwa National Park. It was perfect - for most people it was their first experience of Africa and here they were, reclining with Pims in hand being entertained by a spirited young group of local actors against a red Luangwa sunset which shot lovely bursts of pink colour across the sky.
Wedding day dawned and it was a hot one! It was easy to tell that this was not to be a normal wedding when, just outside the ebony grove, you could see vehicles all over the place parked off the road under shade with guests busily changing from t-shirt and shorts to more formal attire. Hair and makeup were behind some bushes, whilst the changing rooms were behind a vehicle! The ebony grove was a beautiful scene with the comical Reverend Daka seated at the head of proceedings, under a large canopy of ebony trees. With a beautiful light shining through the tree branches above, you could see that Karen and David had chosen a very special place in which to tie the knot.
First sundowners before the Chipembele play
The wedding in the Ebony Grove
Reverend Daka from Chipata introduced a lively and hilarious ceremony. From the moment he told the congregation how he was so overjoyed and that his career was now complete because he had finally been asked to officiate at a muzungu (white person) wedding, he provided much laughter and possibly a little nervousness from the bride and groom due to the uncertainty of what he would come up with next! Telling a story about a previous wedding ceremony where the groom lifted the veil to reveal the bride, only to reveal that she was "not the one", he insisted that David in fact lifted Karen's veil to be certain (and for all of us to be quite sure) that she was in fact the one he had asked to marry him!!
There was singing and dancing from the Robin Pope Safaris Choir - all very lively. The signing of the marriage certificate was perhaps the most entertaining moment. It took about 20 minutes to complete the process with what appeared to be various forms being produced and document signatories being asked to come back and forth to sign something extra. David appeared confused about answering the question as to "what tribe" he came from… I think his answer was London! The most difficult answer was "what is the price of the bride"!! After much scratching of heads, blank looks from Karen & David and a suggestion of "two buffalo" from the audience David finally decided, and Karen's father agreed, on one million kwacha and two goats!!! The bride always comes at a price in Zambia and it is all quite normal! So at the reception later that night David managed to scrounge together one million kwacha for Karen's father but unfortunately no goats were lead up to the head table!
The Reverend Daka seated at the head of proceedings
In the wedding car
The reception was rather large...and was rather late for most in attendance. So the perfect way to get through the day after was a curry lunch at Tena Tena. About 60 people attended what Jo described as a very relaxing afternoon. Huge quantities of food, rugs and cushions everywhere, a wading pool for the kids and many groups of people just lazing about. Nobody moved much but it was all very civilized...like a big family picnic. The final farewell sundowners on Friday included a mud bath on a hippo trail down an embankment… after which David and Karen were totally covered, from head to foot, caked in glorious mud! So it was all very dirty right from the start of their marriage!!! For another couple who were guests at the wedding the entire experience prompted a romantic outburst - waiting at the airport for their departure on Saturday, they were heard to announce their own engagement!! The saga continues!
Lunch at Tena Tena
Heading off
Cooling down
