Hanna is getting married

My cousin's daughter, Hanna Mgassa, is getting married in Dar es Salaam next week to Walter Mweyo.

Hanna, seated on the left, at Saturday's farewell party held in Musoma.

Last Saturday I attended her farewell party which we normally refer to as a "send-off party" which sounds to me too much like "get rid off party."

The party was well-attended and it was great to see the tremendous joy that permeated the ceremony. There were also some sad moments expressed by her mother, Maria, for having to let her go.

I looked up the English description defining my relation to "my cousin's daughter" and came up with "my first cousin once removed", a mouthful. In the Swahili language she is described by one word only, mpwa, and is in the same category as my nieces, my sisters' daughters.

You may also like:
http://madarakanyerere.blogspot.com/2010/09/weddings-are-different-nowadays.html
http://madarakanyerere.blogspot.com/2012/03/my-fictitious-second-wedding.html
http://madarakanyerere.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-wedding-jacket.html
http://madarakanyerere.blogspot.com/2012/08/my-version-of-year-2011-in-review-2.html