Akan (Ghana) Wedding, Long Island City, NY, 1975

Toni and Kwako are married in an African wedding celebration conducted by Nana Dinizulu.

Katrina Thomas's notes: Nana Dinizulu, a native of Georgia named Gus Edwards, introduced the Akan tribal ceremony to the U.S. In the 1960s, believing this to be his heritage, he went to Ghana to be ordained a priest. He provided the following information: The bride and groom march in with family members. The bride's mother or the eldest woman, representing the family, is asked if she received a sufficient bride price for losing her daughter. Today it is money; in the past it was money, cloth or a sacrificial animal. While family and guests kneel behind the couple, Nana, by pouring gin on the ground, invokes the gods as witnesses. Then he passes to the man, and to the woman, a glass of pure water first, followed by honey in water, and finally watered gin. The nuptial rite ends with drumming by his followers. The newlyweds begin to dance, followed by family, and finally everyone.