So, the wedding season is here, and as usual, we are busy buying beautiful outfits, getting our hair done, and getting into the groove of the happy season. Such an occasion is never easy to organise, and as a family, we are expected to chip in and do the needful. One of the ways we can contribute is by showing up on the day of the event to express our love and support for the bride and groom.
Being a joyful occasion, we are also expected to be happy for the couple and join them as they dance and celebrate their union. As Africans, as Malawians, we use dance to symbolise our happiness. It is part of our culture, and it is expected of us. At the same time, dressing appropriately for the occasion is equally important. Both are essential aspects of a wedding.
However, at some weddings I have attended recently, I have observed that some of us treat these occasions as platforms to show off our dancing skills, sometimes to the extent of stealing the spotlight from the newlyweds.
The dancing becomes so extreme, vulgar, and suggestive that people stop what they are doing just to watch us demonstrate how flexible we can be.
Then there are some ladies who are naturally endowed with beautiful bodies. Instead of carrying themselves modestly, they feel the need to show off.
Not long ago, I was taken aback when I saw a lady on the dance floor practically with half her chest exposed. Everyone’s attention turned to her, and she seemed to enjoy it. Honestly, this is irritating and disrespectful.
When we attend a friend’s wedding, our goal should not be to take the spotlight, but to support the new couple. No matter how “polished” we may feel, we should remember it is not our event.
Guests should not go home remembering how provocatively we danced or how much of our bodies we displayed. They should leave with beautiful memories of two people so in love that they decided to marry each other.
Pulling antics aimed at stealing the limelight speak volumes about one’s level of intelligence and self-discipline. Do not attend a wedding only to misbehave in the name of ‘kubhebhetsa’ when, deep down it is all about drawing attention to yourself.
As I often say, people who engage in such antics display a worrying lack of self-control. Honestly, why would someone attend a wedding with their chest half-exposed? Why would one dance as if everything were about them?
Why wear an outfit so short that you can’t even bend to pick something up? While some may find this entertaining or amusing, it can actually annoy both the newlyweds and other guests.
More than once, I have found myself at a wedding asking why some individuals choose to misbehave on such a special day, a day that may never come again for the couple. We can do better. We should play our role as guests and be respectful of the couple whose love we are there to celebrate.
Happy Sunday!
