Amidst cheers, dances, and kisses symbolizing good wishes, the mayor of a city in southern Mexico married a female Cayman crocodile, in a traditional ritual during which he asks for the well-being and wealth of his citizens.
Victor Hugo Sosa, mayor of San Pedro Huamilola, which includes the indigenous Chontaya group of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (southern state of Oaxaca), professed his love for his reptilian bride, Alicia Adriana, as her “little princess” in these retro-ceremonies.
The mayor said, “I agree to shoulder this responsibility because we love each other, and this is what matters. There can be no marriage if we do not love each other,” adding, “I agree to marry the princess.”
These marriage ceremonies between a male and a female caiman crocodile have been held in the city for more than 230 years, to mark the day when two ethnic groups in the region, the Hoavies and the Chontalis, unite through marriage.
According to the prevailing tradition, the differences between the two cities end with the marriage of King Chontal, who was represented in this celebration by the mayor, and Princess Hoaf of San Mateo del Mar, who was represented by a female crocodile.
Writer Jaime Zarate from San Pedro Huamilola confirmed that this marriage allows “to communicate with Mother Earth, to invite rain, seed germination, peace and coexistence among the members of the Chontal group.”
Before the wedding ceremony, Adriana is taken from house to house in a green skirt and traditional black webel dress, while wearing a headdress made of colorful ribbons, so that the locals can dance with her. Her mouth is closed tightly to avoid any accident.
The female crocodile is then dressed in a white wedding gown with silver trimmings, and taken to the town hall to marry the chief.
Joel Vasquez, a fisherman from the local community, cast his net, expressing the hope that thanks to the marriage, “a good fishing process will be achieved so that the residents will enjoy prosperity and find means of living in peace and good balance.”
After the wedding, the mayor and his “wife” dance to the rhythm of the city’s traditional music.
“The wedding makes us very happy because we celebrate the union of two cultures,” Sousa said, referring to the happiness of the residents.
The dance ends with a kiss that cements the marriage between the king and the princess.
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2023-07-02 13:53:49
