The bride's parents will whip the groom on his chest 30 times to test how brave [View All]

[Ghost in the Machine]

Shea Butter Culture

The Fulani group Atafade near Kaboli use shea butter during and before wedding ceremonies. First, the bride applies shea butter to her face and arms at least three months before the wedding day to beautify her skin. The shea butter that she uses is made especially for this purpose by her mother or other female relatives. The groom also uses shea butter to prepare for the wedding. He applies shea butter mixed with herbs to his chest to prepare for the ritual whipping - the Godja ritual - which he will endure.

The bride's parents will whip the groom on his chest 30 times to test how brave their future son-in-law is and how dedicated he is to marrying their daughter. If the groom shows signs of weakness during the ritual, the parents can refuse to accept him, and he must wait until the next year to try again. This whipping ritual can leave serious bruises and even wounds on the groom's chest. Shea butter mixed with wild honey is applied to hasten the healing. Readers should not think of this as a primitive ritual. The main point of the Godja ritual is to test how much the man truly loves the bride since he is willing to endure physical pain for her. It is a way of demonstrating to the bride's parents that she will be safe and that he will do what he needs to protect her.

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