“You may now kiss the bride” is something one expects to hear at the end of a wedding. However, not when the bride at the altar is an alligator! You read it right. This is exactly what happened at a mayor’s “wedding” in a Mexican village. While it may seem bizarre, he was only respecting an age-old tradition.
San Pedro Huamelula Mayor Victor Hugo Sosa recently married his alligator bride in a colourful traditional ceremony and photos and videos of the rituals have taken social media by storm. Dressed in a flowy white gown paired with a veil, Sosa is seen holding his bride in his arms, marching through the village along with the locals, who played music and traditional instruments.
But it was the video of the Mayor kissing his newlywed bride on its snout after being implored by the wedding party that shocked many worldwide. Although the animal’s lips were tied shut to avert any untoward situation, many remarked it was still scary and uncomfortable to watch.
Referred to as a little princess, the reptile is “believed to be a deity representing mother earth, and her marriage to the local leader symbolizes the joining of humans with the divine,” according to Reuters.
“We ask nature for enough rain, for enough food, that we have fish in the river,” Sosa, Mayor of the small fishing village on Oaxaca’s Pacific coast, told Reuters. Oaxaca, located in Mexico’s south, is known for fervently preserving its indigenous culture, languages and traditions.
According to Newsweek, the seven-year-old bride was later carried through the town of San Pedro Huamelula, as locals played drums, trumpets and sang for it.
The alligator marriage ritual, which takes place in San Pedro Huamelula every year, is thought to date back to pre-Hispanic times originating with the state’s Chontal and Huave indigenous communities. The ceremony blends indigenous traditions with elements of Catholicism, the report added.
