Introduction to Salar customs and weddings

The Salar wedding is held in winter. In addition to the shortage of farm work, manpower, grain and oil at this time of the year, and the fact that meat is fat and easy to store, it is mainly a place with a lot of people. Everyone who went out went home one after another. Weddings are usually held at dusk. At the beginning of the ceremony, the female elders first put on the new hat and embroidered ribbon for the groom in the yard. Then, accompanied by their married relatives, they walked into the room and sat on the wooden bench, facing the imam on the kang. Zhang Yue asked the groom: "My daughter is engaged to you?" The groom nodded and accepted, and then the imam shouted "Nika Hai" and distributed red dates and walnuts on the plate to the indoor and outdoor audiences. The marriage was officially sanctioned.

When getting married, the groom and his male relatives will prepare mules and horses and go to the bride's house to marry the bride. In the woman's house, the groom and male relatives do not enter the house, but sit in the yard outside the house. The girl's family will first entertain her with oil, incense and other tea, and then she will stay at her uncle's house. The next day, Madam held a banquet, which was still held in the outer courtyard. Before the banquet, the imam sings "Nika Hai" or "Marriage Law". When reciting sutras, the groom kneels in the field outside the door, the bride kneels on the kang at home, and the imam stands in the yard and recites sutras loudly. After reciting, a plate of red dates, walnuts, candies, etc. is served. Sprinkle it on everyone outside the door. After dinner, the groom and his relatives came back first.

At Anna's wedding, close friends, neighbors, men, women and children all came to the bride's side, watching the elders dressed up, listening to Anna's cry and singing "Give". At dusk, the bride, supported by relatives and elders, slowly walked out of the door while crying and singing. She walked around the yard in front of the gate three times and slowly scattered a handful of grains, which symbolized a good harvest at home and the roots of her husband's family. She then mounted the mule and horse sent to meet her by the groom's house, put on her veil, and was accompanied by two married women of her relatives and other relatives of her husband's house.

At this time, in this woman's village, the women from the village who had previously married this man held several plates of delicious "bilimaihai" and warmly welcomed them on the roadside outside the village. They also revealed the situation in the village, which was "very sparse" and gave the groom a mental preparation.

At this moment, at the door of the groom's house, the young men in the village are rolling up their sleeves and opening their arms, preparing to "squeeze the door" to block the bride's entrance. Those who see the bride off believe that this is the most precious day in the bride's life and should be taken directly into the new house by her elders without getting dusty. But the bride-to-be believes that this is not good for the groom's social status. It will be difficult to command and control the bride in the future, as the bride will be forced to dismount and walk.

So you blocked me, happily yelled and refused to give way to the other party, causing the groom to take the bride back. However, there is no need to worry. The elders scolded the people in the village and kindly apologized to their relatives. The guests were as good as before and sat down on the kang one by one.

Before the bride eats, her close relatives and elders give her blessings, and then use chopsticks to lift the bride's veil. Sarah was known as the "Asher of Brazil." The groom's family must get back the lucky chopsticks. After the meal, the groom's sister-in-law brought a basin of water and asked the bride for money. They use chopsticks or hands to stir the water in the basin and ask the bride to throw the copper coins into the water, symbolizing the innocence of her husband's family. May the bride take root deeply and blossom with fruit. Sarah calls it the "Geiger Bridge."

At this time, the young people stood up one by one and grabbed the groom's father, brother and uncle. Their faces were smeared with pot ash, they wore broken straw hats, and their eyes had heart-shaped carrot glasses. They lift them up with sticks or make them ride yaks in circles. The excitement was overwhelming until they won a large sum of money. Then they performed a "Camel Show" and "Banquet Music."

On the wedding night, the rooster crows the next day. The newlyweds take an Islamic bath, dress up and go out to meet their parents-in-law and elders. The groom goes to the bride's house to meet his parents-in-law and parents. In public occasions, women must "open the box." Insert needle and thread. During the dowry display, everyone came to see the bride’s elaborate embroidery. The bride also sends embroidered shoes, socks, and pillows to the groom's family and uncles and relatives. In order to express his deep affection and friendship to the bride's parents and relatives, the man also gave some money in return.

If you are seeing off relatives, drink tea first. Those who have traveled a long distance are invited to stay at Ben Agnes' house, and a banquet will be held the next day. After the banquet, they will be distributed. Meat-eaters", all relatives and distant relatives of the woman, regardless of age, should distribute a portion of cooked beef and mutton; give money or clothes to the bride's parents or relatives.

Then an old teacher said a few words of "I'm very hot", wished the newlyweds love each other and grow old together, and entrusted the parents-in-law. and ignorance. The bride should take better care of her and teach her by words and deeds.