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INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY — PUBLICATION NO. 2 



articles. When the bride is dressed [she wears all 

 three of the new rebozos], the parents of the couple 

 and the principal godparents and relatives, together 

 with the musicians brought by the parents of the 

 groom, accompany the couple to the church to effectuate 

 the marriage before the priest. [During the Mass a 

 ring is placed on a finger of the bride. The groom can 

 bring his own ring, but if he has not done so, a ring 

 lent by tlie priest is used. The ])riest also puts silver 

 money in the hands of the groom who in turn places 

 it in the hands of the bride. If the groom has not 

 brought money, the priest lends it to him. However, 

 it is believed that the groom should bring the money 

 and that the more he brings the greater the benediction 

 for their life and the more fortunate the couple will be. 

 There is said to be no use of the collar, chain, or ribbon 

 used in some churches in Oaxaca.] 



After the wedding, all leave the Mass and go to the 

 house of the bride's parents, where she and all her 

 relatives are left, the rest of the party going to the 

 house of the groom's parents. Later, in about an hour, 

 all return to the house of the bride's father [first call- 

 ing- for the bride's godparents to invite them] to escort 

 the bride and all her relatives to breakfast [at the house 

 of the groom's father] which consists only of a piece 

 of bread and small cup of chocolate. On arriving at 

 the house of the groom's father, the [male] guests seat 

 themselves in a place previously prepared. The prep- 

 aration consists of placing some logs of wood for seats 

 [in two rows with others sometimes arranged as a 

 table between the rows at a somewhat higher level] 

 and at one of the ends they place the image of some 

 saint of the Catholic religion [most commonly a picture 

 of the saint] before which is a lighted candle and 

 flowers [and sometimes an incense burner with copal 

 incense]. Before the guests are served, it is the duty 

 of the marriage manager to say a prayer in thanks. 

 It should be noted that the first places [before the 

 altar] are reserved for the marriage manager and the 

 godfathers of both bride and groom and that only the 

 men sit on these seats, the women being seated apart. 

 The godmothers also sit apart [usually on mats in the 

 center of the courtyard], the godmother of the groom 

 being distinguished by ribbons tied in her hair. These 

 ribbons are given and tied on the hair by the god- 

 mother's comadres, granddaughters and sisters-in-law. 

 [Ribbons are tied in the hair of all the godmothers of 

 the groom, and of the godmother of the wedding.] 



Upon completing the breakfast, all the relatives of 

 the bride return to her house, taking the bride with 

 them again and not being accompanied by the relatives 

 of the groom. In the meantime the musicians play in 

 the house of the groom. This is usually between 10 

 and 11 of the morning. [Meantime many guests may 

 drop in and will be fed, being seated in a different place 

 from the relatives. Everyone is welcome because the 

 more who attend, the more prestige attaches to the 

 wedding. As outsiders, the members of the staff were 

 usually especially welcome, as apparently we gave 

 special eclat to the function.] Meantime all the sib- 



lings and cousins and grandparents of the groom to- 

 gether have hired another band and at this time they 

 separate themselves from the rest of the groom's rela- 

 tives. [They go through the streets with the musicians, 

 ultimately going to the house of one of the groom's 

 uncles where they eat dinner. The remainder of the 

 groom's relatives and the guests eat at the house of 

 the groom. Tortillas, kurundas (tamales), and curlpo 

 (beef broth with cabbage, chile, and chunks of beef) 

 are served.] 



After the dinner is served, the party is prepared to 

 go for the bride. This is called the p'ipejperakua. 

 The party consists of the parents of the groom and 

 their brothers and all the friends of the parents. 

 [Actually not all go; those who are invited to go on 

 the party are given iris leaves which they carry with 

 them. Staff members at weddings were frequently 

 given invitations to accompany the party in this same 

 form.] The same relatives of the bride are all assem- 

 bled at her house, ready, as are the friends of the 

 parents. [The party of the groom's relatives is accom- 

 panied by musicians. The party goes first to the house 

 of the godparents of the bride. They serenade the 

 house outside and then the closer relatives enter the 

 house. They form a circle before the godfather and 

 ^he godmother of the bride. The marriage manager 

 makes a long but informal speech, asking permission 

 to take the bride. The godfather replies, giving his 

 permission. All present then shake hands with the 

 godfather and godmother, making a movement simulat- 

 ing kissing the hand. The group leaves the house, 

 accompanied by the godparents.] Arriving at the 

 house of the bride's parents, the groom's relatives 

 immediately ask for the bride. [Actually, only the 

 closer relatives again go inside, accompanied by the 

 musicians. The marriage manager again asks for the 

 bride.] When consent is granted, they start for the 

 groom's house, carrying with them the clothing they 

 have ready. [For a big wedding a procession of a 

 hundred or more people may have formed by the time 

 the gi'oup returns to the groom's house.] In the 

 meantime the other relatives of the boy [the siblings, 

 cousins, and grandparents] arrive with their musicians 

 and do the same [that is, they take off the siblings, 

 cousins, and grandparents of the bride] who carry 

 quantities of clothing. This consists of shirts for 

 men and women, trousers for men, jackets for men 

 and women, sashes for women, and bags, and tortilla 

 cloths, the latter two objects to be given the groom 

 at the time all the others are changing clothing 

 and bread. In the house of the groom's father the 

 guests are all seated as before. [The godmothers 

 are again seated on mats in the center and the bride 

 sits for a time beside the godmother of baptism. Guests 

 continue to arrive and additional ribbons are tied in 

 the hair of the godmothers and long and elaborate paper 

 ornaments fastened to sticks are placed in the hair. 

 All the relatives of the groom give cigarettes to the 

 groom's father when they arrive in the courtyard for 

 the first time and also give cigarettes to the godfathers 



