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A tangle of love, dance, entertainment and local dining-table
An eternal love scenario
Traditions ahead of the wedding ceremonies are similar throughout Dalmatia, first presenting a game of wits in “buying” the bride, while the gifts that she brings to her new house symbolize future rich with love, abundance and happiness. Folk tradition includes wedding customs, whose scenario has not changed for years, it only adapted to the modern times. Cognition that the preservation of cultural heritage is a tribute to the future encourages us to cherish our own traditions and their significance. In that sense, as part of the Murter summer, cultural event “Murterski pir” is held, to attract young people from Croatia and even around the world, that in foreseeable future they wish to marry precisely in the old Murter way.
The Cultural Society of Crivac in the hinterland of Split, this summer also revived the wedding customs and sent a recording across the world. There are already some jottings of local people, even foreigners, who would also participate in old-fashioned wedding ceremony. The ceremony primarily includes a marriage proposal of a girl.
Specifically, the young man’s father, accompanied by male part of the family (the groom would have remained outside the house) came to the house of the bride, and asked the hand of their daughter for his son. During a lavish dinner, which was served by the bride, people discussed common, everyday events. Just before the end of dinner the young man’s father would pull out a handkerchief (which a girl gave to her chosen one) and said:
-My son found this handkerchief, so let the owner take it!
Girl would have to ask her father:
-Father, may I take it?
If father agreed with this marriage, he would reply:
-Take it my daughter, and good luck!
This meant that the girl was proposed, and then the future groom could enter the house as well, to propose a toast with brandy and prosciutto, as well as symbolic gifts to the bride – woolen socks, towels, scarves.
Both families had a couple of agreements ahead of the wedding ceremony, where the bride would be donated with an apple. First the groom’s wedding guests would arrive before the house, and in front of entire colon was a flag bearer. The buying of the bride followed. The groomsman asked for their beautiful girl, but the oldest male family member would offer him other girls, from the oldest to the youngest. He could never get to the right one. As the godfather gave more money – and they negotiated with lots of passion! – so the representative of the bride asked for – more. It is only when they were all satisfied with the price would the bride came forth! The wedding guests in front of the church would greet the young couple with the song, but also by throwing the rice – a symbol of fertility, but that particular custom came to Dalmatia from the area of Zagreb. In fact, in the Dalmatian families, three grains of salt, two olive leaves and a piece of a blessed candle were placed on every guest, against evil spells.
During the dinner, except for the blessing of food, the best man first welcomed all with a toast. During the evening, a steal and repurchase of the shoe of the bride were attempted. The arrival into a new house asked another test for the bride – taking an apple from the top of the banner, and throwing it over the new house in front of the mother in law. Naturally, the groom was supposed to carry her over the threshold. In the room waiting for the new couple, there would be – a chest! It would contain the gifts that the bride brought into a new family, but also utensils she obtained for a common life. Crucifix and rosaries were obligatory.
All for a better, new life for a young family…
Photo: Tourist board Murter – Kornati
This post is also available in: Croatian
