One tradition that is popular with the Efik marriage process is The Fattening Room.
The Fattening Room tradition of the Efik people comprises of the training maidens undertake in preparation for their entry into womanhood.
Six months before marriage, an Efik bride goes to the fattening room and is pampered with massages from head to toe.
Also, she is fed as much as she would like to eat, and enlightened on marriage.
During this time, the bride does not participate in any chores. Instead, she eats sumptuous dishes, engages in meaningful conversation, and sleeps. She’s also given three times massages daily, meant to bring out her natural endowments.
The massages are important because Efik people believe that a woman who is full-figured with a curvy waistline is the most beautiful.
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In addition to the above Fattening Room activities, the girl goes through domestic training of home management. These include cooking, child care, housekeeping, how to respect and make her husband and his family happy.
It is the duty of older women to give the bride advice drawing from their experience in marriage.
Also included in the training are the cultural dances (Ekombi), folklore, folktales, songs, and other forms of entertainment.
The bride to be is also taught about s*x so that she can give proper satisfaction to her husband.
At the end of the six months period, which also brings an end of the seclusion days, a party to celebrate the bride’s successful passage to womanhood commences.
This ceremony is full of traditional Efik dances (Ekombi) and other forms of entertainment.
It continues throughout the whole day and night. Family, friends, and well-wishers express their joy and happiness with gifts and donations to the bride.
Finally, she and her soon to be husband embrace and dances; welcoming their well-wishers that have come to join the celebration.
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