Wedding tradition of Khmer people in Mekong delta

Published:  10:05 Tuesday - June 20, 2006

Wedding tradition of Khmer people in Mekong delta

Wedding is very important for a man's whole-life in the community of Khmer people in southern Tra Vinh province. To find a life-partner for a son, the girl's good conduct, age... are carefully considered. Average age for marriage is 20 for boys and 19 for girls.

Wedding is normally in the dry season, just from October to April (lunar month). Official ceremonies take place in the girl's family. The boy's family is in charge of arranging and controlling ceremonies of the wedding. The match-maker must be an aged and respected man (or woman) well-spoken and relative to neighbors or the girl’s family.

Before engagement, the girl's family is kept informed about time, number of well-wishers to make necessary preparations. On engagement day, two families discuss and finally decide on wedding time, spending level, ceremony cost.… A pair of earrings is compulsory.

On fixed day, wedding ceremony is organized in the girl's family in 2 or 3 days. A meeting-hall is prepared to welcome the boy's family members and to receive gifts from the boy. When the boy's family members come, a fence is put up round the girl's house to keep the boy away for a while. It symbolizes the virginal virtues of the girl. At the gate, the boy's well-wishers perform three dances as if to ask for opening the gate. Then the bride comes in, the groom's sister or brother gives him water to wash feet and offers him some tea.

In turn, he must offer some presents to be let in. After his offerings are laid the table. A hair-cut ceremony begins with burning a lamp or candle... to wish a happy life for the new couple. There is even a teeth-dying rite, just to assure long-term happiness. On "first-night", two aged women agreed by families come to prepare the bed for the newly-weds, which is meant for happiness, prosperity and lots of children.

Lan Phuong

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