After the welcoming ceremony is completed, the groom and his entourage would be escorted by the dancers to the reception area at the bride's home to meet her family members. Here, speeches are made, prayers said, and the groom's family present the gifts they have brought to the bride's family.
Then the bride and the groom would meet and togehter they would walk to the "altar" (usually a nearby mosque or an especially prepared platform at the reception area) where the bride's father (or somebody he has appointed to represent him) would perform the "ijab" (giving his daughter in marriage) and the groom perform the "kabul" (acceptance of the marriage from the father or legal guardian of the bride.). The couple would then recite their wedding vows as a wife and husband and, as required by the Indonesian law, sign the marriage certificate in front of the appointed official and witnesses.
There are several Sundanese traditional rituals that the married couple usually do after that. Among them are "saweran" (the throwing of coins, rice, and candies) to the audience and well-wishers), the groom's stepping on an egg or bamboo stick and the bride's washing the groom's foot, and, like what is shown in the picture below, "a chicken tug of war" (my translation), where the bride and the groom pull a "bakakak" (a sliced-open grilled chicken). It is believed that if the groom gets a larger piece of the chicken, they would be blessed with a son soon, and vice versa, if the bride gets the larger piece, then they would be blessed with a daughter.
The couple would then feed each other in a symbolic act that in a marriage a wife and a husband have the shared resposibility of supporting each other.
18 comments:
Some very intimate shots. Wonderful...gives a real insight to your traditional weddings in your part of Asia!
Greetings from TORUŃ DP here in Poland!
Beautiful photos and wonderful information! thanks
Thanks Eki for the Sundanese wedding day rituals info. I must say there are a lot of similarities with the rituals of a Malay wedding in Malaysia. Although I know many of the young generation prefer a much simpler wedding but I believe we should keep these beautiful traditions alive.
The bride is soooooo very beautiful! And the dress is so intricately made. Very enjoyable post. I like the custom of taking a bite together.
Magnificent ceremony
I like suit and the hands of the bride
BEautiful!
These are just amazing..the wedding clothing is so involved and beautiful and of course I got to learn about the traditions..I enjoy your photos very much...
Thanks for inviting us to this wedding. So exciting to see and learn something for the first time, via your photos and words.
Such a beautiful couple! Mabruk, may they have a long and happy life.
Can you explain about the bride's hands?
Wow! Beautiful. The 'bakakak' is certainly something new for me.
The bride is absolutly beautiful!
A very beautiful couple! You always give such interesting and informative narrative as well.
so beautiful this traditional wedding, you really do capture true beauty!!
Amazing outfits! Fantastic photos!!!
Wonderful Eki. She is like a beautiful doll. I hope they have a very happy life together!
Love the costumes. So romantic sharing food & drink like that.
Nice pics btw.
That's really beautiful. They look so good in those clothes, too.
Much different to "traditional Tasmanian" weddings!
...And I just re-read your description - the "chicken tug of war"? That's a classic! I love unexpected (for me) customs like that.
superb narration, Eki. Got to know about a wedding tradition in that part of the world.
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