Three unique points in Tujia wedding customs

Culture 2012/05/30 View：2945

For so long, just like Mona Lisa’s smile, unique customs of Tujia nationality always keep her veil in front of us. Now, let’s uncover some of their mysterious wedding customs together.

Send pigtail If a man wants to marry some woman; he will send a preserved pig back tag with a pigtail to show his willing of marriage when making a ceremonial call on New Year. Seeing this special present, the woman’s parents don’t need to say anything face to face. There only exist two possibilities: 1) Disagreement, cutting the pigtail down, covering it with red paper and putting it into the cloth shoes that will be given to the man. The man will understand and maybe try again next year. 2) Agreement, Keeping the pigtail and putting a red egg or a red pocket in the cloth shoes given to the man.

Look for Mobi The night before wedding day, the groom’s procession goes to the bride’s home in advance. In order to find Mobi (means the manager of the procession in Tujia), dowry girls on the bride’s side smear some soot (from bottom of the pot) that prepared beforehand on some men’s (in the groom’s procession) faces when they don’t pay any attention.

Say nothing When the bride is brought to the groom’s home and walk out from sedan chair under the guide of a woman, the groom cannot say a word during his reception. (Since they think talking will leak the information of marriage out) Dating back, in ancient times, on hearing somebody’s marriage, local chieftain will go to exact the bride’s “the first night”. In order to minimize this kind of tragedy, Tujia people then make this a custom as time goes by: going to the house secretly. Established by usage, some areas still follow this custom.

Translated by Becky

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