African Time - Tanzanian Wedding Part 1

The invitations said the wedding was to be at 10.00 a.m., so that is when we thought it would be...

There is an understanding here about "African Time". That is - time is

different. What ever has been planned "probably" will happen, but not necessarily at the time first said. Then again there is Swahili time. Here the day starts at sun up, so the first hour is at 7.00 am. 10.00 am is therefore the fourth hour, or "saa 4". You see is CAN be confusing.

Brother Mbise, the father of the bride had asked Anne and I to bring both of our cars to provide transport for the wedding party. When I asked him at what time did he want us there, he told me 10.00 a.m.! This confused me, because that is when I thought the wedding was to start, but he assured me that was when we were to be there.

So the day of the wedding came and Anne and I headed out. We were about 5 minutes from our destination when Mbise phone me and told me that if we had not left yet, don't worry and come at 11.00! Are you starting to see what African time is?

We dropped one car off at Mbise's house and then went back down the mountain for a cup of coffee. Just before 11, I phoned and was told not to come until 11.30. So that is how it went.

We finally got to the wedding and it was wonderful! Everyone else seemed to know what time to be at the church builging and eveyone was very happy.

Bro. Mbise (in the middle) with his wife on his right.

 It was a Lutheran Wedding in a large church building in Nkoaranga. By the time everything started, there were very few people, but 2 hours hours later towards the end of the service, the building was FULL!                                                                                              

The couple were finally wed and the singing and dancing followed the out of the church.Weddinh