Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1849-02-15
miscellaneous.
Marriage in Different Nations.

Marriage in Different Nations.
In Ceylon, one of the principal marriage Ger.
emonios consists in tying together the clothing
of the bridegroom and bride, to signify that they
are bound together for life. This ceremony is
performed in the presence of their friends, and
with such festivities as the means OF the parties
will admit.
In Java, there are three kinds of marriages.
The first and most common is, where the parties
are of equal condition, or the bridegroom is the
superior of the bride; the second is, when the
wie's station is much higher than that Of the
husband; and the third is q kind of half marriage,
the offspring of which are not admitted to an
equality with other children This marriage is
quite unceremonious, but the two other modes |
are celebrated with some display. The first
wife is always the bead of the family.
Girls in Java are married ut so early an age,
that a snsle woman Of twenty-five is almost
unhoard Of price is always paid by the bride
groom. The bridegroom, splenddy mounted,
accompanied by his friends, with music, goes to
salute his BRIDE She comes out and meets them
elevated seat, and cat ont OF the same dish, after
which they go to the mosque and the nuptals
are celebrated according to the Mahommedan
ritual. Then ensues a wedding procession
through the village, a grand feast, and at the
end of five days, another procession, IN which
the bride is conducted to the residence of her
husband. In some places, the spinning wheel,
loom, and kitchen utensils, are carried in the
bridal procession. In others, the bride washes
the bridegroom's feet, in token Of subsection.
In Summarize, the Baths have as many wives
as they please, generally five or six, who all live
in the same apartment with their common hus.
band, but each has separate fireplace. Hus
bands purchase their wives ofther tather-in-law,
and gamble them away or sell them whenever
they choose.
Among the Redangs, another Tube, besides
the purchase ofwives, a man is sometimes adopt
ed by the girls father as 4 son-in-law, and are
both subject to the parent; and there is another
marriage, where both men and women pay an
equal price, and are on perfect equality. The
ceremonies are very simple.
In Borneo, no man is allowed to solicit dam
sci in marriage, until he has cut off the head Of
an enemy. When this condition is fulfilled the
lover makes presents to his mistress; if they
are accepted, an entertainment is given by her
parents, and on the ensueing day by his parents
After the feast the bridegroom is conducted
home to the house of the bride. At the door
friend sprinkles him with the blood of cock,
and her with the blood of hen; the parties then
give each other their bloody hands, and from
that time they lived together. If man loses
his wife, he cannot marry a second until he cuts
off the head of another enemy.
In Celebes, the husband receives no other
dowry with his wife than the presents she OBJ
tains before the ceremony. AS soon as the
couple are married, they are shut up in an apart
ment by themselves for three days; servant
brings them the necessary food, while Their
friends are entertained with great merriment by
the BRIDES father At the end of this time they
are liberated receive the congratulations of their
friends, and are conducted home.
The marriage customs of tho natives of New
Holland, are rather more curious than agreeable.
Before girl is given to her husband her two
front teeth are knocked out. The lover then
throws kangaroo skin over her shoulder, spts
in her face several times, marks her with paint
ed stripes of different colors, orders her to march
to his hut with his provision bag and if she does
not move fast enough to please him, he admins
tiers a few kicks by the way. These savages
generally steal wives from the tribes with whom
they are at enmity. AS soon as they observe a
girl without any protector, they rush upon her,
supply her with blows of a club, and drag her
through the woods with the utmost Violence
Her tribe retalate merely by committing sim
liar outrage. There are no other wedding GER
emoncs among these savages.
The Moors marry at very early age wives
are always purchased and the father of girl
cannot refuse an offer, unless there Is some stain
upon the young mans character The bridal
tent is adorned with a small white flag, and the
bridegroom's brow is enclrcled with tiet OF
the same color. The bride is conducted to the
tent by her parents, where the lover presents her
with garments and jewels, according to his
wealth. A grand entertainment is given, and
the young women dance all night the sound OF
the instruments, while the spectators regulate
their motions by clapping their hands These
dances are not very decorous. The marriages