Getting Married!!

On Saturday, June 13th, we went to an artisan market in San Antonio. At this market we were given an information session on some of the important aspects of the lives of the Kaqchikel, an indigenous group particular to Guatemala. One important ceremony that we learned about was the process that a couple goes through before, during, and after getting married.

First of all, when the couple decides that they are ready to get married, the man brings some gifts to the woman’s house such as bread, beer, etc., [and also needs to find out how many aunts and cousins the woman has and bring them a gift also] If he gets permission, a date is set for the wedding and that date has to be in approximately 8 months. Why 8 months you may ask? Well that is because the bride-to-be needs to weave a type of blanket for her mother-in-law and a towel for the father-in-law and the grandfather. The weaving takes a very long time. The man's family however has to pay for the whole wedding. I also got to wear the traditional clothes of a Mayan woman and we all got a small taste of the 12 hours they typically spend dancing in celebration. Wow! Those clothes are so heavy and thick, and there is so much of it.