Lyla Dejesus
In South Africa, a sun shower or rainstorm while the sun is shining is called a monkey's wedding. The origin of this phrase is unknown, but it is speculated that it may be related to the presence of monkeys in the city and their tendency to cause trouble for people walking underneath them. Similar phrases exist in various other languages, such as Arabic, Bulgarian, Hindi, and Japanese, each with their own unique take on the phenomenon of rain falling from a clear sky.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Country | Mauritius, South Africa, Japan, Arabic, Bulgaria, India, Calabria, Korea, Poland, Turkey, US |
| Occasion | Rain shower and sun at the same time |
| Local Saying | Zako p maryer |
| Other Versions | Monkeys' wedding elephants' divorce; Monkey and baboon getting married; Kitsune no yomeiri or the kitsune's wedding; The rats are getting married; The jackal's wedding; The foxes are getting married; The tigers are getting married; The vixen's wedding; The devils are getting married; The witch is making butter |
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What You'll Learn
Wedding traditions in South Africa
South African weddings are vibrant and colourful celebrations, steeped in cultural heritage and passed down through generations. They are known for their joyful celebrations, which can last anywhere from three hours to three days.
Before the wedding, there are several unique traditions. One is Imbeleko, where offerings are made to ancestors for blessings. Another is Isigqibo, an exchange of cows between families. Dherela Amadoda is a tradition where males from both sides meet for drinks. A Zulu blessing, the Umabo Ceremony, involves taking beer or other libations from one home to another while singing songs. Gifts of money or clothing may also be exchanged during this ceremony.
There is also Lobola, where the groom and his family formally ask for a meeting with the bride's family to negotiate the bride price. This is followed by the wedding ceremony, which usually takes three days and starts on a Friday, with the groom's family visiting the bride's family.
During the wedding ceremony, there is a tradition of insults, where each family chants insults at the other family, with the insults worsening with each chant. There is also the Money Dance, where the couple dances together for as long as they can while guests shower them with money. The wedding feast, or Karamu, cannot begin until it is blessed by the oldest male present. Once blessed, the bride feeds her husband to show how well she will care for him, and then presents him to her parents, who ask her if she has entered the marriage willingly.
South African weddings also feature a broomstick ceremony, where the couple jumps over a broomstick three times to signify their vows.
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Wedding traditions in Mauritius
Mauritius is a popular destination for weddings, with its white sand beaches, sparkling lagoons, and warm weather all year round. The island offers a unique blend of cultures and wedding traditions, from religious to civil ceremonies, with intimate weddings for two to large weddings catering to hundreds of guests.
For religious weddings, it is a requirement that the couple is already legally married. If not, a civil ceremony can be held the day before. There are several documents that couples need to provide to have a legal wedding in Mauritius.
One of the most striking wedding traditions in Mauritius is the Sari ritual, where the bride-to-be receives a sari from her future husband, which she wears during the ceremony, symbolizing acceptance and love. Another custom is the Haldi ceremony, where a mixture of turmeric, sand, and water is applied to the bodies of the bride and groom. The tea ceremony is another important tradition, where the newly married couple serves tea to their family members as a symbol of mutual respect and love.
The pre-wedding arrangements in a Mauritian Tamil wedding start with the selection of a favourable day by the family priest (Gurukal) as certain periods are considered inauspicious according to the Tamil Panchangam. The first ritual, the paadal kaal Muhurtham, is usually held a few days before the wedding to set the stage for a peaceful wedding. A bamboo pole with a white handkerchief marked with vermillion and turmeric tied at the top is erected by married ladies to seek blessings.
On the eve of the wedding, a gathering takes place to honour the bride and groom, with family and friends socializing and presenting gifts. The evening is filled with music and dancing. The wedding day usually starts early, before sunrise, and is marked by the flamboyant sound of the Nadaswaram and Thavil (classical South Indian instrumental music) announcing the arrival of the bride and groom, dressed in traditional South Indian attire.
Mauritius offers a diverse range of venues for wedding ceremonies, from pristine beaches like Trou aux Biches to lush gardens like the Pamplemousses Botanical Garden, and even the option of getting married underwater or on a yacht. Many hotels and resorts offer extensive wedding and honeymoon packages, and most have experienced wedding coordinators to organize every detail, from flowers to post-ceremony celebrations.
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Wedding traditions in Japan
Clothing
The bride typically wears a pure white kimono called a shiromuku, which symbolises her willingness to take on the "colour" of the groom's family. This kimono is adorned with intricate embroidery and is accompanied by a white headpiece called either a wataboshi or tsunokakushi. The groom wears a black kimono called a montsuki, which bears his family crest in white. This formal attire is completed with striped hakama trousers and a haori overcoat. These traditional garments are often rented rather than purchased due to their high cost. Some couples choose to change into Western-style attire for the reception, with the bride donning a white wedding gown and the groom wearing a tuxedo.
Shinto Ceremony
Shinto-style ceremonies are held at a shrine, with a priest conducting the ceremony. The couple is dressed in traditional kimono and participates in rituals such as purification and the sharing of sake. Symbolic offerings are made to the Shinto deities (kami), and the couple pledges their commitment to each other and to live in harmony with nature and their community. The Shinto faith is centred on the belief in yaoyorozu no kami, which means that divine spirits reside in all things, from natural elements to everyday objects.
Christian Ceremony
Christian-style weddings have gained popularity in Japan, especially after World War II. These weddings are often chosen by couples even if they are not Christians themselves. The ceremonies follow the Protestant liturgy, including elements such as hymns, prayers, Bible readings, an exchange of rings, a wedding kiss, and vows before God.
Gift-Giving
Gift-giving is an essential part of Japanese wedding etiquette. Guests are expected to bring a monetary gift called goshugi, presented in a special envelope called a shugi-bukuro. The amount varies depending on the guest's relationship to the couple, with close friends and relatives giving a larger amount. In return, the newlyweds provide their guests with wedding favours called hikidemono, which can range from small items like sweets to more substantial gifts.
Reception
The wedding reception has also evolved to blend traditional and modern elements. It usually includes a mix of Western and Japanese cuisine, speeches, and performances. The reception is attended by a larger group of guests, including relatives, friends, coworkers, and bosses of the bride and groom.
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Wedding traditions in Korea
Korean weddings are a beautiful blend of ancient customs and modern romance, with each element reflecting the country's rich cultural heritage. Here are some of the unique traditions that you'll find at a Korean wedding:
Hanbok
The hanbok is the traditional Korean costume that has been worn for over 2,000 years. The bride and groom typically wear colourful hanboks made from silk or other fine fabrics. The bride's hanbok is often vibrant and brightly coloured, with red symbolizing good fortune and yellow representing fertility. The groom's hanbok is usually more subdued. Female family members may also wear the hanbok, but they sometimes opt for more modern clothing.
Jeonanrye
During the Jeonanrye ceremony, a wild goose or a wooden one (kireogi) is presented to the groom, who then bows twice before presenting it to his mother-in-law. This tradition symbolizes the groom's promise of lifelong love and care to his bride, as wild geese mate for life.
Pyebaek
The Pyebaek is an intimate family ceremony where the couple pays respect to their elders and receives blessings and advice for their married life. The bride and groom change into hanboks for this ceremony. During the Pyebaek, the bride is given dates and chestnuts, which symbolize children and the bride's fertility. The groom's parents then throw the dates and chestnuts at the bride, who tries to catch them in her wedding skirt. The number she catches is believed to predict the number of children she will have.
Music and Dance
Korean weddings are often marked with colourful processions and traditional music and dance. Before the ceremony, guests may be treated to a performance of Samulnori, featuring four musicians playing colourful costumes and dancing with long ribbon-adorned hats. The four instruments used in Samulnori represent the four elements: thunder, wind, rain, and cloud.
Wedding Gifts
In Korean culture, it is customary for guests to bring a white envelope containing money as a gift for the bride and groom. The amount of money depends on the relationship between the guest and the couple. Traditionally, the groom's family would purchase a house for the newlyweds, while the bride's family would provide the furnishings. However, these traditions are not as common today due to changing societal norms.
While many Korean weddings have adopted Western styles, there is a growing trend of incorporating traditional elements to embrace cultural heritage. By blending ancient customs with modern romance, Korean weddings create unforgettable moments that cherish the values of family, unity, and love.
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Wedding traditions in Bulgaria
In Bulgaria, weddings are large, noisy, and fun, with lots of rituals. The wedding day usually begins in the late morning or noon when the groom and his friends and family visit the bride's home. This is when the bride-buying ceremony takes place. The bride's family places a shoe outside the door for the groom to fill with money. The shoe is then returned several times with a request for more money, as the bride's family pretends that the amount is not sufficient. Sometimes, the shoe is swapped for a larger boot to symbolise that a higher price is required.
The "kumove" or "goodparents" are close friends of the newlyweds who act as their spiritual mentors. They are required by law to be present at the civil marriage and play a role in the Orthodox religious ceremony. The kum helps the groom during the "buying or stealing of the bride" ritual. The kuma presents the bride with her bouquet and performs the veiling ritual, where the bride rejects the veil twice before accepting it on the third attempt.
Another tradition is the bread-breaking ritual, where the bride and groom stand back-to-back and try to break a loaf of bread and get the larger chunk, symbolising who will hold more power in the family. Additionally, whoever steps on the other's foot first during the custom of "stepping" is said to dominate the marriage.
In the past, Bulgarians hung flags in their houses during weddings, oriented towards the sun as a sign of good fortune. The groom would cut down a fruit-bearing tree with a single hit, symbolising that the couple will not remarry. The tree branch was sewn with red or red-and-white fabric before being sent to the bride's house. After the wedding, the godparents would destroy the flag by breaking, hiding, or throwing it in water to protect the newlyweds from dark magic and bad fortune.
The church wedding ceremony involves reading Bible passages, crowning the couple and their witnesses, and going around a table of icons. The "best woman" throws small packages containing coins and grains over the newlyweds to bring them wealth, health, and good fortune. The reception is held at a restaurant, where the couple enters after all the guests have been seated. The mothers-in-law offer bread and honey to symbolise the joining of their families.
The wedding feast includes traditional foods like Belarusian yams, arrowroots, sweet potatoes, fish, seafood, beef, fried potato chips, mushrooms, rice, pasta, and vegetables. Drinks such as wine, beer, and champagne are served as the night progresses, along with traditional Bulgarian drinks like rakija and fermented grape or plum rakia.
One unique tradition involves the bride kicking a bucket of water with two roses or flowers. If the white rose or flower goes farther, the first child will be a boy, and if the red one goes farther, it will be a girl.
Bulgarian weddings are full of lively rituals, ensuring a memorable celebration for the couple and their guests.
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Frequently asked questions
In South Africa, a sunshower or rainstorm while the sun is shining is called "a monkey's wedding". The origin of this phrase is unknown, but it is speculated that it may be related to monkeys running around in the treetops and ruining innocent people's days.
Yes, several languages have similar expressions for this phenomenon. For example, in Arabic, it is said that "the rats are getting married", in Bulgarian, they speak of bears getting married, and in Hindi, it is known as "the jackal's wedding".
Every culture has its own unique wedding traditions, and South Africa is no exception. In addition to the monkey's wedding phrase, one unique tradition in South Africa is the umabo ceremony, where the groom's family presents the bride's family with gifts, such as cattle or money, as a way of showing gratitude and respect.
If you're looking for a unique and playful theme for your wedding, you could consider incorporating monkeys into your decor, invitations, and favors. For example, you could use monkey-themed place cards, serve monkey-shaped cookies, or even have a monkey ring bearer!
