Theatrics begin as December holiday ushers in ruracios, weddings

As we head towards the end of the year, we enter an interesting period in the mountain region-the dowry payment season. Every other Saturday, some young man is taking dowry to his in-laws, lest they decide to recall their daughter and make him a bachelor once again. It's a busy time for certified dowry negotiators, kitenge fundis and all that ecosystem around the dowry payment process.

Apart from the dowry negotiators, the next important person in the dowry process is the aunty who vets whether the in-laws have landed at the homestead in a style befitting their daughter's dignity. If they come in a manner that suggests that the girl is cheap, she can demand that they drive backwards for miles so that they come back with their vehicles hooting. That way, the entire county will know that a well-brought-up girl has brought goats to her clan.