Imo-wunmi: weddings

Monday, March 21, 2011

Nigerian Celebrations - The Money Spraying

I went to a 50th birthday party on Saturday of a family friend. The entire ceremony was very well executed; from the venue, staff and decorations, to the food service, live music and dancing after. I just loved the speeches on behalf of the celebrant! A lovely Christ-centered family indeed.

Now in the West African culture, Nigerian specifically, at celebrations, you will see people "spraying" the celebrants. Meaning, they will place several dollar bills on the celebrant, and their family, while they are dancing, usually to the tunes of a live band.

Taken by Sade O. | Tayo's wedding

The younger relatives or friends help collect the money that has fallen to the floor. Meanwhile, a close friend or relative sits near the dance floor to count and change money received from those gathering the money that has been sprayed. Party attendees will bring their larger bills ($20, $50, $100) to change them for 1$ bills so that they can spray the celebrant for a longer duration, as they dance with them. Some prepared party attendees have previously changed their money to one dollar bills in anticipation of this portion of the program.

Taken by Sade O. | Tayo's wedding

At wedding celebrations, the band leader will also call the surnames of families that are also in attendance to celebrate with the couple, one at a time, to the front-center of the dance floor. The family gets sprayed and they also spray money. Moreover, the band also gets sprayed. Anyone in their twenties or younger, has the potential to leave the party in a better financial state than they were in when they arrived just by dancing.

Chuckstr Photography | Nigerian (Yoruba-Igbo) wedding - Amarachi & Segun

The more you dance the more you get sprayed, by your aunty's and uncles. (refer to a previous post -- almost everyone is an aunty, uncle, or big mommy, and so forth)

However, at this party in particular, the emcee was told to announce at the end of the program, yet prior to dancing, that "the celebrants have asked that we do not spray them."

My grandmother gave a Nigerian fist pump followed by an "enh-hehn." She was very pleased with this announcement, as she is not an advocate of this practice of the culture. My mother is also not a fan of the money spraying based on some of our conversations. My grandmother noted the next day that soon after the announcement was made, the pastors then proceeded to dance with the celebrants. I gather this is generally not the case in the event that money is being sprayed.

So, I want to know your thoughts:

how do you feel about "the money spraying" at celebrations?