Time for a Kitchen Party

check out that kitchen! wowie!

Here in Zambia, kitchen parties are a little like bridal showers in the States. They’re a “girl” event held in honor of soon-to-be brides. Guests shower the bride with anything and everything she'll want for her new kitchen. 

Unlike bridal showers in the States, which are often smaller events of twenty-five or fewer guests, kitchen parties are huge. Bigger is definitely better. A kitchen party is arranged by a committee and led (or DJ'd, or Emceed, or… not sure of a proper equivalent) by the Matron, an important woman in all the wedding happenings.

ladies, ladies, everywhere
these are just a few...

Don’t ask me everything about kitchen parties, because I've only been to one and I have much to learn about culture and tradition surrounding the parties. One thing I can say is that dancing, music, hoopla, and food are central parts of the event. Oh, and one more thing: the bride is to be somber. While everyone else is hollering and dancing and carrying on, she shows no emotion. Hard to imagine but quite true.

I think a bride's kitchen party marks the end of her singleness. Not sure if that’s why she is not to look happy-??

the outfits these two ladies are wearing would be traditional to see at a kitchen party

This kitchen party was attended by a couple hundred ladies at a local lodge, and the kitchen looked pretty complete to me—lacking only a dishwasher (which are not found/used here).

ps. sorry for the fuzzy pictures... figured bad pictures were better than no pictures...