Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-04-05
Marriage in Diaercnt Nations.

Marriage i'm Different Nations.
In Ceylon, one of the principal ceremo-
nies 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 mar
riages. 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 wife's station is
much higher than that of the husband; and
the third is kind of half marriage, the
offsprings of which are not admitted to an
equality with other children. This mar
riage is quite unceremonious, but the two
other modes are celebrated with some dis
play. The first wife is always ysthe head of
the family.
Girls in Java, are married at so early an
age, that single woman of twenty-five is
almost unbeard of. A price is always paid
by the bridegroom. The bridegroom splen-
didly mounted, accompanied by his friends
with music, goes to salute his bride. She
comes out and meets them with low obei-
sance. They SIT together on an elevated
seat, and eat out of the same dish, after
which they go to the mosque, and the nup-.
tials are celebrated according to the Mo.
hammedan ritual. Then ensues we'd
ding procession through the village, we'd
ding feast, and at the end OF five days an
other procession, in which the briGe is con-
Quoted to the residence of her husband
In some places the spinning wheel, loom
and kitchen utensils are carried in the bri-
dal procession. In others the bride wash
es the bridegroom's feet, in token of SUBJ
lection. ro as r q,
In Sumatra, the Battas have as many
wives as they please, generally five or six,
who all live in the same apartment with
their common husband, but each has asep-
arate fireplace. Husbands purchase their
wives of their father-in-law, and gamble
them away, or sell them whenever they
please. @ of
Among the Redacgs, another tribe, be-
sides the purchase Of wives, man is some
times adopted by the girls father as SON
in-law, and both are 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 a
damsel 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 enter
tainment is given by her parents, and on
the ensuing day by his parents. After the
feast the bridegroom is conducted home to
the house of the bride. At the door, a
friend sprinkles HIM with the blood of a
cock, and her with the blood of hen, and
the parties then give each other their bloody
hands, and from that time they live togeth-
er. If a man loses his wife, he cannot mar
ry second until he cuts off tire head Of
another enemy.
In Celebes, the husband receives no 9th
er dowry with his wife than the presents
she obtains before the ceremony. AS soon
as the young couple are married, they are
shut up in an apartment by themselves for
three days; a servant brings them the ne
cessary food while their friends are enter
tanned 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 the 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, spits in her face
several times, marks her with paint stripes
of different colors, orders her to march to
his hut with his provision bag if she does
not march fast enough to please him. he
administers few kicks by the way. These
savages generally steal wives from the
tribes with whom they are at enmity. AS
soon as they perceive girl without any
protector they rush upon her, Supply her
with blows of club and drag her through
the woods with the utmost violence. Her
tribe retaliate merely by committing SIM
liar outrage. There are no other wedding
ceremonies among these savages. .h.1
The Moors marry at very early age
Wives are always purchased, and the IA
ther of the girl cannot refuse an offer, un-
less there is some stain upon the young
mans character. The bridal tent is adorn-
ed with small white flag and the BRIDE
groem's brow is encrcled with a fillet of
the same color. The bride is conducted to
the tent by her parents, where the lover
presents her then with garments and jew
els according t6his wealth. A grand en-
tertainment is given, and the young wo-
men dance all night TO the sound of the in
struments, while the spectators regulate
their motions, by clapping their hands
These dances are not very decorous. The
among the negro tribes are con-
Quoted with but very little ceremony, ex-
cept on an abundance of pastime and dam
cling. .si.,.. ..i y
Among the Jereres, when the lover Sc
cured the consent of relations, he summon
ed his friends to assist him in carrying off
his BRIDE, who shuts herself up in hut
with her companions, where they maintain
an obstinate seige before they conclude to
In Rammuk, the bride comes to the
house of her husband with calabash of
water, with which she washes his feet, and
wines them with her mantle. n '1a'4d
In Congo, the negroes take their wives
for wear on trial if at the end of the time
they are satisfied, the wedding is celebra-
ted with feast. The missionaries endea-
vor to abolish this custom, without success :;
the mothers declaring that they would not
risk the happiness OF their daughters by
urging them to an indissoluble union with
persons with whose tempers and habits they
we're unacqualnted. p" H -al.4 .ii
In Abyssinia, there is no form Of mar
riaqe ceremony. Parties live together as