Wedding traditions of Harare
A capital where the roora, the bride price, is negotiated through a go-between before a white wedding.
A Shona marriage begins with the groom's family sending an intermediary, the munyai, to the bride's family. The roora, the bride price, is then agreed in cash, cattle or goods, including a gift for the bride's mother. The wedding is held in a church or at the registry office, followed by a long reception.
A wedding here
The family greets with clapping and a formal call-and-response. The bride's aunt, the tete, plays an important role in the negotiations. Sadza with meat and relish is the main dish at the reception, and a choir sings.
Law and change
The Constitutional Court ruled in 2016 that marriage under 18 is unlawful, and the Marriages Act of 2022 set 18 as the minimum. Customary unions can be registered. Roora is lawful but social groups criticise inflated demands.
Wedding customs of Harare
Also part of it, and being written: Shona people (The community.), Sadza (The staple.), Tete (The paternal aunt.).
A wedding trail idea for Harare
- Mbare Musika A market for cloth and goods.
- Harare Magistrates Court A civil marriage venue.
- National Botanic Gardens A garden used for photographs.
Written by the EveryShaadi desk with AI assistance. Opening hours, venues and wedding-season dates change; check locally before travelling. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
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Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Lobolo: Iwuala Lucy, CC BY-SA 4.0, source