The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1874-05-29
TOORKISTAN.
Curious Marriage Ceremonies in the Far


East.
The Toorkoman girls do not become
manageable till the age of sixteen or
seventeen years. Up to that time the
parents endeavOr to relieve their daugh-
tiers from excessive labor in order to
preserve their freshness and beauty,
thanks to which they will be in a posi-
ton to demand from the future bride
groom the highest price the latter is in
position to give for bride. Ard as,
in this nomad race, the women do not
cover their faces, it is not difficult to
choose bride from among them. Hav-
ing made his selection. the ToOrkOman
intrusts to a kinswoman or friend of the
bride the task of proposing in his name |
to her parents, and settling the price.
For a well made, handsome, and |
healthy girl, they pay usually from one |
hundred to one hundred and sixty to- /
mans (from one hundred and eighty-six /
to two hundred and seventh eight !
pounds); for an ordinary girl they pay
from sixty to eighty tOalGnS; for one |
who squints, or is deaf, or dumb, or dis !
figured by smallpox, they do not pay
more than fifteen or twenty tOnlGnS.
The same prices are given for handsome
female slaves. The children of the lat
ter are not recognized as on the same
footing with the children of the same
father and free woman, and, in the
distribution of the Inheritance they re-
ceive a lesser portion.
After the conclusion of the contract
by the mediatOrs, and the acceptance of
the terms by both parties, a n1OILab is
summoned, who composes q written
contract, and select a propitious day for
the marriage ceremonies. The bride
groom sends the bride certain presents,
among which sheep for the wedding
feast are always found. On the day of
the wedding the tent of the bride is
decked with all the available carpets,
! bags, silk rags, feathers, etc, in the
place. The bride is generally brought
away at midday; if the bridegroom is
not in position to spend much on the
wedding, he brings his bride home at
night, and then the wedding takes place
| without guests.
The bridegroom's mother, sisters, fe-
male relations, and other friends, adorn-
ed with all their available treasures,
and with all their heads attired for the
occasion differently from the usual man.
ner, collect and adorn three or four
camels with carpets and variegated
pieces of silk. These stuffs, sewed to-
gether, cover the head and neck of the
animal, and are fastened to the saddle
~--N-S
the bride to the tent of the parent
The men now divide into two groups;
one proceeds on foot, as an escort to
the women the other, armed as if for
a foray, proceed in front of the bridal
train. At q short distance from the
brides tent they spur up their horses,
discharge, at full speed, guns and pis
tolls, and perform various evolutiOns.
They then enter the tent and there, af
, ter a conversation of abO.It an hours
length, a sort of strife is entered into
, between the relatives and friends of the
! bride and those who have come to move
her from the paternal roof. The bride
. generally feigns to refuse to quit her
! relatives, and, when they succeed in
/, taking her from the tent, they place her
on a CARPET spread in front of the tent
bv those men who had marched on foot
in the procession. After this, having
seized on the ends of the carpet, these
r men hasten to the spot where the cam
f els were left standing. The horsemen
t cover their fight, firing into the brides
i party. who follow the men with the car
t net. and hurl clods of earth at them
? the fugitives, Obliged to cover their
Q heads with wet cloths, sometimes let go
t the carpet, or stumble on some Unequal
8 itv of ground, and fall on the top OF
;, the other.
y, Having reached the spot where the
, cameIs stand, the pursuit ceases. They
S cause the bride to emerge from the car
g pet the women arrange her dress, and
e cover her head and face with a veil,
u leaving open only the eyes and nose.
S Placed in front, among the nearest re-
S latiOns of the bridegroom. the young
q girl proceeds at the head of the cOrtege.
h She keeps herself erect and looks
e straight before her; when passing near
i the tents, the women around the bride
: slightly raise be~ veil. in order to dis
, play her TO the curious. Just before
{ reaching the bridal tent, the hOrseme0
}; ride forward and commence firing, and
{ uttering piercing cries. The road is
/; thronged with people who salute the
F.; bride with deafeniDg huTrahs; and, at
], the moment when she prepares to cross
T the threshold of the bridal abode, they
E place under her feet pieces of pastry
s for the children the latter appear IN
: the marriage-train, and generally make
q a terrible uproar.
g During this hurly-burly the women
lead the bride into the tent of the
{ bridegroom. and place her back to the
q entrance. The females in the vicinity
!, then hasten to congratulate her, but
2 the entrance is barred to the men.
] lneS6 TeulhlU III the street. ana pass the
T. time till the dinner in single combat
- and racing both on horseback and on
: foot. In the evening they smoke, drink
!, tea. and listen to music.
a There is vet an original marriage
: custom. mentioned only by Vamhery.
This ceremony consists in the bride,
: enveloped from head TO foot IN a veil or
: silk handkerchief, racing on horseback
with her bridegroom; not unfrequently
the yelled Amazon reaches the goal
sooner than the youth accustomed to
! oallopinc and untrammeled in his mo-
! fious. Sometimes the galloping bride
! holds on her knees a SLAUGHTERED lamb
. or kid pursued by the bridegroom and
! other youths. she had to escape them
$ dnring the whole race, and not suffer
: one to approach her. preserved thus her
L lamb or kid. This pastime is called the
; g Green Wolf "
5 The newly married girl remains at
/ home the first fortnight, and occupies
herself with needle-work, in the society
OF female relatives of IKE husband and
: their acquaintance. During this pc
g Rod men are admitted to pay their re-
" poets. After this the female relatives of
! the husband lead the bride away to her
c parents, with whom she lives a year or
{ eighteen months after her wedding.
i Here she makes carpets, sacks. linens.
etc, for her future household. while