| How About Some Native American Wedding Traditions? |
| Articles - Lifestyle |
|
The Native American culture is filled with custom and tradition. These customs are deeply ingrained in their beautiful wedding ceremonies. It may add an extra bit of spirituality to incorporate some of these traditions into your nuptials.
The Native American culture is filled with custom and tradition. These customs are deeply ingrained in their beautiful wedding ceremonies. It may add an extra bit of spirituality to incorporate some of these traditions into your nuptials. It is the custom in the Native American culture for the man to ask for permission to marry into the woman's family. The man will normally ask permission of the shaman or priest. Once the permission is granted, the two families customarily exchange food, livestock or other gifts in order to show their approval of the union. It is customary in many Native American tribes for the couple to move in with the bride's family after their union. It is the responsibility of the groom to provide for his new in-laws and to take orders from the new mother-in-law. A gift that is customarily given to the couple is baskets of corn which represents fertility. An engaged couple of the Algonquin tribe selects four sponsors. Sponsors are older individuals who will provide wisdom and advice to the newly wed couple. In tribes that follow traditions, divorce is not an option. That is the reason for the sponsors; so they can offer advice if the couple should need it. At the wedding ceremony the sponsors make a commitment to provide and guidance to the couple throughout their lifetime. Native Americans in Northern California have two types of marriage, the half-marriage, and the full-marriage. A full-marriage occurs when the would-be groom pays the full amount the bride's family requests. If the groom can only pay half the amount requested, the marriage is considered a half-marriage. The couple then lives with the bride's family and the groom is under the authority of the bride's father. A traditional Native American wedding ceremony that can be used today is the fire ceremony. This tradition involves constructing a circle of stones and seven types of wood. In the center of the circle will sit a large pile of wood. On either side of the woodpile will be two small fires. These fires represent the bride and groom as individuals. After the ceremonial blessings from the priest and family and friends, the bride and groom will slide each individual fire into the large woodpile to symbolize their new union. Another popular wedding ceremony is the blanket ceremony. The bride and groom are each wrapped in blue blankets at the beginning of the ceremony. These blankets represent the sorrows the bride and groom have gone through separately. After the marriage is blessed, the blue blankets are removed and the couple is wrapped together in one white blanket to symbolize the act of becoming one. The seven steps ceremony is another wedding ceremony that is frequently used in the Native American culture. The ceremony starts with the lighting of a sacred fire. The couple will then take precisely seven steps around the fire. The groom begins by taking just one step before stopping to say a vow. It is then the brides turn to take a step and say a vow. The groom then takes another step and says another vow. This continues until the bride and groom have each taken seven steps and recited seven vows. DISCLAIMER: This article is provided as information only and is not to be taken as financial advice. Are you a UK bride? Before you buy your wedding dress you must see our great selection of Wedding Dresses Gowns. Same quality & design of designer wedding dresses at a fraction of the cost. |