On this page 5 sections
The grand marriage
On Grande Comore, the anda or ndola nkuu (grand marriage) is much more than a wedding: it is the rite that raises a man to the rank of notable (mdru mdzima, “accomplished man”) and gives him a voice on the public square. It can cost years of savings: gold jewellery for the bride, meals for the whole village, processions, dances and gifts. In Mayotte, its equivalent is the manzaraka, and Anjouan and Mohéli have their own forms of customary marriage.
A week of celebrations
The ceremonies stretch over several days: the groom's procession, the presentation of the jewellery, twarab evenings, men's and women's dances, a great communal meal. Guests put on their finest clothes: an embroidered djoho and a kofia for men, a chiromani or saluva and jewellery for women. The grand marriage season peaks in July and August, when the diaspora comes home.
Mila na ntsi: custom
On Grande Comore, the customary system, called mila na ntsi (“the customs and the land”), governs social life alongside civil law and Muslim law. Men are divided into age groups (hirimu), which give them rights and duties within the village. Society is also marked by a matrilineal tradition: the family house often goes to the daughters.
Rites of passage
- Birth: the newborn receives its name a few days after birth, at a small family ceremony.
- Koranic school: from childhood, boys and girls learn to read the Koran; the end of their studies is celebrated.
- Marriage: the small (religious) marriage and then, for some, the grand marriage.
- Mourning: funerals take place quickly, followed by prayers and condolence visits.
Hospitality and solidarity
Receiving a guest is an honour. People readily offer tea, fruit or a meal, and family and village solidarity remains very strong: everyone contributes to celebrations, to building mosques or to the funerals of their relatives.
