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Comedians and Afghan weddings

How Afghans found alternative ways to celebrate weddings after the Taliban banned music.

When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021, they introduced many controversial measures, including a ban on music. How do people celebrate special occasions, like weddings? ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Pashto’s Payenda Sargand recently attended a wedding in the southern city of Kandahar and tells us about the other forms of entertainment that were on display, including poetry, singers performing without music and stand-up comedians.

The tradition of ‘money spraying' is a major part of Nigerian wedding celebrations, but now you could face a hefty fine or even a prison sentence if you’re caught doing it. Make-up artist Abdullahi Musa Huseini, also known as Amuscap on social media, was recently sentenced by a high court in the northern city of Kano for throwing cash at his own wedding, and he’s currently serving a six-month jail sentence. Mansur Abubakar from ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Africa has been reporting on this story.

Tuareg communities in North Africa traditionally celebrate weddings with a 7-day party. The ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Arabic's Xtra TV producers were invited to a wedding in Gath, in the south of Libya, and got to know the groom, Jamal, a young man who said he had to save for years to be able to afford such a feast in the current cost-of-living crisis. Saif Rebai reports.

This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ journalists from all around the world. This is an EcoAudio certified production.

(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

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27 minutes

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Mon 18 Aug 2025 02:32GMT

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