Colourful wedding celebration at Kruger National Park

By Roxanne Reid
Last time we stayed at Olifants camp we enjoyed one of our best sightings ever. It wasn’t one of the Big Five; in fact it wasn’t an animal at all but a colourful wedding celebration at Kruger National Park.

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It had been a frustrating day. First, we spotted a leopard poised on the side of the road, about to cross. We stopped a decent distance away so as not to disturb it. But a white bakkie roared past. It pulled in diagonally in front of us to take a photo, blocking our view. When the leopard turned tail and disappeared into the grass, the bastard bakkie hurtled off into the distance. Such selfish people are not among my favourite things about Kruger.

Much later, just north of Letaba, we found a baboon slung in a tree. Although we waited more than an hour in 38-degree heat, we saw nothing more than a leopard’s lazy paw.

Skirts swirl as the dancers get stuck in to some butt-waggling action

So when we arrived back at camp and discovered there was to be a marriage celebration at sunset outside one of the river-view chalets, we took a walk there just for fun. It turned out to be a bigger deal than we’d imagined.

Massage therapist Peter Adams and his wife Luanna from Arizona had recently married in the States but she was originally from South Africa and wanted a ceremony at Kruger Park too. ‘I’ve been coming here since I was four years old,’ she told me. Clearly, Kruger had a special place in her heart and she was happy to be the centre of attention for any hangers on who stayed to watch the festivities.

The couple shared the joy of the singing, dancing and drumming with all who passed by

And festivities they were. The staff at Olifants, under the leadership of duty manager David Magagula, outdid themselves. With the Olifants River as a backdrop, David donned his white shawl and gave them a blessing on the lawn in front of their chalet as the sun set in the distance. Plates, glasses and cutlery were brought in, as well as pots full of food for later. 

Wedding dancers, guests and hangers-on against the backdrop of the Olifants River in Kruger Park

But first eight hut attendants treated the small gathering to some African song and dance. Four of them wore bright turquoise T-shirts and traditional Shangaan skirts made of shiny purple, red and green material with gold edging. The skirts had a shorter fully gathered frill at waist level, with many strands of yellow plastic beads. These were put to good use with the gyrations of the women’s hips as they danced.

Another three were dressed more simply with bright-coloured scarves around their waists and coloured beads at their necks. The eighth, still in her khaki SANParks uniform, used a 25-gallon plastic water container as a drum to get the dancing started while the men fiddled with plugs and double adapters to get the recorded music working. 

Peter and Luanna Adams during their sunset wedding at Olifants rest camp, Kruger Park

So many smiles and so much laughter. At the centre of it all were Luanna with a few flowers in her long brown hair, and Peter, her flop-haired husband. When Luanna saw more people stopping to watch the spectacle she gestured for them to come nearer to enjoy the show.

Olifants hospitality manager Lerato Khoza (back, far left) with the entertainment team. Duty manager David Magagula, who organised the shindig and gave the blessing, is with the couple in the intro photo

When the singing and dancing were done, we left the couple and their handful of invited guests to enjoy their meal and drinks. I wondered whether a national park in the United States would have been so accommodating or given a pair of foreigners such an enthusiastic celebration. It reminded me why I love Africa so much – its warmth and hospitality, its people, its singing and dancing.
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