The celebration symbolises the blending of cultures and brings joy to the people. The mayor dances with the reptile bride.
Digital Desk: The mayor of San Pedro Huamelula in
southern Mexico, Victor Hugo Sosa, married a female crocodile in a traditional ritual that was believed to bring good fortune. According to the local lore, the reptile, a caiman, stands in for the "princess girl".
"We love each other, so I take responsibility. What matters is that. You can't have a marriage without love, and I yield to getting married to the princess girl," Sosa said at the ceremony, according to AFP.
To honour the harmony between the Indigenous groups of the Chontal and Huave, this marriage ceremony has been performed for 230 years. The marriage of the reptile by the mayor, who represents the Chontal king, represents the fusion of the two cultures.
The marriage ritual gives the communities a chance to commune with the land and ask for blessings for peace, rain, and successful crop germination. According to an AFP story, "the wedding allows the sides to link with what is the emblem of Mother Earth, asking the all-powerful for rain, the germination of the seed, and all those things that are peace and harmony for the Chontal man." Jaime Zarate, chronicler of San Pedro Huamelula.
Before the ceremony, the reptile is taken to people's houses for dancing. The crocodile is dressed in gowns and has its snout bound shut for safety. A local fisherman wishes for prosperous times and good fishing at the wedding ceremony at the town hall.
The celebration symbolises the blending of cultures and brings joy to the people. The mayor dances with the reptile bride. The mayor kisses the reptile on the snout to mark the end of the ceremony.
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