Feeding the bride, kidnapping the groom and other strange wedding traditions from around the world

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

A wedding is a wonderful ceremony that consolidates the union of two people. Each culture has its own wedding subtleties, which are usually associated with the religion and traditions of a particular area. And it should be said that among the huge number of wedding traditions there are frankly strange ones. They will be discussed in this review.

1. France

In France, when people got married (especially young couples), friends and family would gather at the newlyweds' home and beat pots and pans while shouting and singing loudly. The newlyweds had to go to the common table and serve drinks and snacks to these visitors, and sometimes even “pay off” them with money so that they would leave and no longer make noise. In more extreme cases, if visitors were ignored, they would break into the house, kidnap the groom, and take him away somewhere far away. Then he was undressed, released, and he had to find his way home. This tradition by the name "sharivari" (aka "shivari") originated in the Middle Ages. When widows allegedly got married too soon after the death of their husband, neighbors "rowed" in a similar way throughout the wedding night. However, the tradition was created for fun.

2. Mauritania

In Mauritania, the “bigger” a girl is, the more attractive she is considered to be. This is why parents send their daughters (some from the age of five) to “fat camps” in the summer to gain weight. This tradition is known as "leblukh". The girls have to eat an absurd amount of food, and in some cases they may even be force-fed. These girls consume up to 16,000 calories a day.

This practice arose from the belief that a woman's "volume" symbolizes the place she occupies in her husband's heart. A woman's size also indicates a husband's wealth. The richer he is, the more wife he can afford. When the “time to marry” comes, the man and his family choose a bride and make an agreement with her family. The more “voluminous” a girl is, the more desirable she becomes.

3. Scotland

"Blackening" is a traditional Scottish wedding custom that takes place just before the marriage ceremony to symbolize the hardships of marriage. The bride, groom, or both are doused (or sprinkled) with something disgusting - for example, eggs, dead fish slime, rotten food, yogurt, tar, mud or flour … moreover, best friends and family members do it. They are then either tied to a tree or transported to the city in an open truck. The idea is to make them feel very uncomfortable and to have as many people as possible witnessing it. It is believed that by going through this together, a couple can go through all the trials and tribulations that marriage entails. Blackening is practiced mainly in the rural areas of northeastern Scotland.

4. China

The Tujia Chinese people have a tradition for every bride to cry at the wedding ceremony. Elders believe this practice can be used to express the bride's gratitude and love to her parents and other family members. If the bride does not cry, then the guests look at her as if she was a poorly brought up girl. But everything is not so simple - the bride begins to cry … a month before the wedding itself. She spends an hour every night crying loudly.10 days after that, the bride's mother joins her, and they sob together, then the bride's grandmother and other relatives follow. Tears do not mean sadness, but rather joy and hope. It is worth noting that this practice is not very common.

5. Borneo

Most of the Thidong people living in Borneo follow many wedding traditions, the strangest of which prohibits couples from using the bathroom for three days after the wedding. This also means that the bride and groom do not have to go to the toilet for three days in a row. If they use the bathroom during this period of time, it is believed that the marriage will be unsuccessful and lead to infidelity or even death of their children in infancy. During this period after the wedding, the couple is watched by several people who give them a minimum amount of food and drink. After three days, the newlyweds finally go swimming and are allowed to return to normal life.

6. China / Mongolia

The Daura people in China and Inner Mongolia use a unique way of choosing their wedding date. The engaged couple hold on to one knife and use it to execute the chicken. Then they cut open the carcass and check the internal organs. If the chick's liver is healthy, the couple calmly sets a date and begins planning the wedding. However, if the liver is sick, it is considered a bad omen. After a while, the couple should repeat the process until they find a chicken with a healthy liver.

7. India

In some parts of India, astrological compatibility plays a huge role in marriage and wedding ceremonies. If the bride is born “under the sign of Mars,” she is considered to be cursed and will cause her husband to die prematurely. To break this curse, she must first marry … a banana tree. This tree is then cut down and burned, after which the curse is lifted. However, this practice has been declared illegal as it is believed to violate women's rights. However, people still practice it, and even some Bollywood stars like Aishwarya Rai have married a tree.

8. Wales

Since the 17th century, the Welsh have had a unique courtship tradition. The young man took a piece of wood and carefully carved a spoon out of it. Then he gave it to the woman he was courting, as a sign of love and serious intentions. If the object of sighing agreed, then the spoon became a symbol of the engagement between the couple. This "love spoon" also served as a promise that the groom would never leave the bride hungry. Nowadays love spoons can be bought. They are also given as gifts on other special occasions such as christenings and birthdays. A similar tradition can be found in other parts of Europe.

9. Masai

Maasai weddings are complex and involve many traditions. The most unusual customs, however, involve spitting. After both families agree on the marriage, a wedding date is set. On this day, an elder will spit milk in front of the bride's house to celebrate the wedding procession. The bride is dressed in a colorful, bold outfit with shell and beaded necklaces. Her head is shaved and greased with lamb fat. After that, the girl's father spits on her head and chest. It is believed that spitting brings good luck to the bride's family life.

10. India

Another unusual wedding tradition is practiced by Tamil Brahmins in southern India. In one of the many wedding rituals in these places, the groom must pretend to change his mind about marriage and go to the monastery while his family members persuade him to stay and get married. The priest who is acting at the wedding is also trying to "make the groom change his mind." After all this, the groom eventually goes to the wedding hall, the bride's family greets him, and the wedding activities begin.

The people of the Marquesas have a unique wedding tradition. After the ceremony is over, the bride's relatives lie face down and side by side on the floor. The couple then walk out of the wedding hall right on their backs, like on a carpet.