The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1874-03-06
MARRIAGE CEREMONIES IN TOOR-
KISTAN.

The Toorkoman girls do not become
marriageable till the age of sixteen or
seventeen years. Up to that time their
parents endeavor to relieve their daugh-
tiers from excessive labor, in order to
preserve their freshness and beauty,
tn; nks to which they will be in a DO
sition to demand from the future bride.
groom the highest price the latter is in
position to give for bride. And as,
in this nomad race, the women do not
cover their faces, it is not difficult to
choose 9 bride from among them. Hav-
ing made his selection, the Toorkoman
intrusts to kinswoman or friend of
the bride the task of proposing in his
name to her parents, and of settling the
price.
For a well-made, handsome, and
healthy girl, they pay usually from one
hundred to one hundred and sixty to-
mans Cfrom one hundred and eigllty-six
/ to two hundred and seventy-eight
! peunds); for an ordinary girl they pay
from sixty to eighty tO7nans; for one
who squints, or is deaf, or dumb, or
disfgured by smallpox, they do not
pay more than fifteen or twenty tonlG1s.
! The same prices are given for a hand
some female slave. The children of the
/
! footing with the children of the same
father and free woman, and, in the
/ distribution of the inheritance, they
receive lesser portion.
| After the conclusion of the contract
4 by the mediatOrs, and the acceptance of
the terms by both parties, a nlOLldh is
summoned, who composes a written
contract, and selects propitious day
! for the marriage ceremony. The bride
groom sends the bride certain presents,
among which sheep for the wedding
4 feast are always found. On the day of
the wedding the tent of the bride is
decked out with all the available car
pets, bags, silk rags, feathers, etc., in
the place. The bride is generally
brought away at midday; if the bride
groom IS not in position to spend
much on the wedding, he brings his
wife home at night, and then the wed
ding takes place without guests.
The bridegroom's mother, sisters, fe-
male relations, and friends, adorned
with all their available treasures. and
\ with their heads attired for the occa-
sion differently from the usual manner,
collect and adOrn three or four cameIs
with carpets and variegated pieces of
/ silk. These stuffs, sewed together,
cover the head and neck of the animal,
and are fastened to the saddle; and
thus the procession proceeds for the
bride to the tent of tho parents.
The men now divide into groups one
proceeds on foot, as an csc 1rt to the
women the other, armed as if for a
foray, proceeds in front of the bridal
train. AT a short distance from the
brides tent they spur on their horses
discharge, at full speed, guns and pis-
tolls, and perform various other evolu-
tiOns. They then enter the tent. and
there, after conversation of about an
hours length, a sort of strife is entered
into between the relations and friends
of the bride and those who have come
to remove her from the parental roof.
The bride generally feigns to refuse
to quit her relatives, and, when
they succeed at last in taking her from
the tent, they place her on a carpet
spread in front of the tent by those
men who had marched on foot in the
process ion. After this, having seized
on the ends of the carpet, these men
hasten to the spot where the camels
were left standing. The horsemen cover
their flight, firing into the brides party,
who follow the men with the carpet,
and hurl clods of earth at them the
fugitives, obliged to cover their heads
with their clothes, sometimes let go the
carpet, or stumble on some inequality
of the ground, ard fall one n the top
of the other.
Having reached the spot where the
camels stand, the pursuit ceases. They
cause the bride TO emerge from the
carpet; the women arrange her dress,
and cover her head and face with veil,
leaving open only the eyes and nose.
Placed In front, among the nearest rela-
tIons OF the bridegroom, the young girl
proceeds at the head of the corteqe.
She keeps herself erect, and looks
straight before her when passing near
the tents, the women around the bride
slightly raise her veil, in order to dis
play her to the curious. Just before
reaching the bridal tent, the horsemen
ride forward and recommence firing,
utteriDg piercing cries. The road is
thronged with people, who salute the
bride with deafeping hurrahs; and, at
the moment when she prepares to cross
the threshold of the bridal abode, they
place under her feet pieces of pastry
for the children the latter appear in
the marriage-train, and generally make
terrible uproar.
During this hurly-burly the women
lead the bride into the tent of the bride
groom, and place her aside. with her
back to the entrance. The females in
the vicinity then hasten to visit and con-
graduate her, but the entrance is barred
TO the men. These remain in the street.
and pass the time till dinner in single
combat and racing, both on horseback
and on foot. In the evening they smoke,
drink tea, and listen to music
There is yet another original marIi-
age custom, mentioned only by Vambe-
] -
bride, enveloped from head to foot in a
veil or silk handkerchief, racing on
horseback with her bridegroom not
unfrequently the yelled Amazon reach
es the goal sooner than the youth ac-
eustomed to galloping and untrammeled
IN his mo.ions. Sometimes the gallop.
ing bride holds on her knees a slaugh-
tered lamb or kid pursued by the
bridegroom and other youths, she has
to escape them during the whole race.
and not suffer one to approach her, pre-
serving thus her lamb or kid. This
pastime is called the "Green Wolf"
The newly married girl remains at
home the first fortnight, and occupies
herself with needle-work, in the society
OF the female relatives of her husband
and their acquaintances. During this
period men are admitted to pay their
respects. After this the female rela-
I tlves of the husband lead the bride
away to her parents, with whom she
lives for q year or eighteen months af-
ter her wedding. Here she EMPLOYS
herself in making carpets, sacks, linen.
etc, for her future household, while
the husband is permitted TO visit her
clandestinely from time to time. Dur
ing all this time the parents are respon-
sible for the conduct of their daughter.
After tho lapse of the appointed time,
the female relatives of her husband
: -. - 4 - q