Marriages between a man and a woman are mainly organised by their families, so there is no dating culture in Ethiopia.
[2] Before the wedding, the community elders conduct a genealogical tree study of the families of the bride and groom up to 7 generations to see if there is a kinship between them.
If a bird named Tarailae passes them on their left, or a girl who carries a pot full of water, it is believed that the wedding will be blessed.
But if they see Tarailae passing on their right, or a girl who carries an empty pot, and especially if they see the bride cleaning her house, then it is believed that it is not God's will and so the preparation stops immediately.
The bride's mother will discuss this issue with her husband and give an answer after a few days.
According to the norm of this culture, before a man's life partner is chosen for him he is supposed to jump a row of oxen.
If he completes his challenge successfully, he thighs his waist[clarification needed] with a nail using a leather.
Once he completes his four rounds of jumping the row of oxen he only eats meat and honey, and drinks only milk for three consecutive months until he finds the right life partner.
Accordingly, the first wife of a man who completed his challenge of jumping the row of ox is called a bignarow.
Women wear a certain type of jewelry to show that they are ready to be married as a second wife.
If a man of this clan has a lot of money and high economical status he is then allowed to marry 10 girls at once.
Depending on the type of wedding the amount of the telosh increases, the groom might even pay until the third generation to her family.
Then the messenger would put the coffee bean inside a kind of bowl called Nono without being seen by her family and then go back home.
The bride's family, when they see the coffee bean inside their Nono, since they didn't see who put it there, they would secretly search the for person in their community.
While they are drinking coffee, the bride's family will ask if the groom has enough cattle, goats and sheep as a dowry.
This kind of wedding happens when the bride does not agree to marry or due to lack of money of the groom's family in order to pay for dowry.
On the day of the wedding the groom and the best man start to blow on an elephant horn called shameto to show they are arriving at the bride's house.
The amount of dowry will be decided based on the groom's wealth, power, appellation and family tree.
In this culture when the girl is pregnant and if her time to give birth is near she will go to her mother-in-law's house to get more protection and care.
After eating the food and enjoying all the preparations made by the groom's family for a day, the relatives of the bride go back to their homes.
If a man is married this way, since it is believed that he disgraces the girl's family pride, his punishment is severe.
He asks their permission by promising to pay up by working and give labor service to her family.
It is mainly found in the southern Gofa woreda around twelve kebeles there are four types of wedding customs in the tribe.
If both parties agree the man tries to attract his bride by performing a dance named Wonde in which he circles her alone.
If the girl agrees he gives her a ring, or if he doesn't have one, he puts wet grass on her finger, then starts his own house and collects money to be used after wedding.
In the tradition if the delivery day is approaching, a separate building behind their house is built, and she stays there for six months after giving birth.