MARRIAGE TRADITION
OF WEST PAPUA NORTH SHORE
The people inhabit along the shore line of
North West Papua were formerly resided mangrove areas and
by Dutch colony they were moved to the shore in 1920 to use
dry land for better health and easier mobilization. Around
1930 Christianity was introduced by missionaries from Dutch
and people from Ambon, especially the teachers working there.
Until today the people in those villages use the same clan
name just like those in Ambon with the name " fam "
which is probably originated from familie ( family ). When
they were still living on the wet and damp land or higher
places at the barren land, it was recorded that they also
introduces such groups like clan called auwet. This type of
kinship group had special skill respectively, for example
auwet Bagre and Maban had the war skill, auwet Kibuan and
Abowai inhabit highland had skill of farming and others. Each
auwet is a patrilineal group who control the land, and after
relocation in 1920 the system of auwet met fam and until today
the terminology of fam is used.
Marriage tradition of the people living on north coast of
west Papua is not facing the cost of wedding party as modern
time but such an expensive cost of marriage dowry. Indonesian
ethnographists recorded the kind of this dowry consist of
a " krae " a chain of shells with big round shell
as decor, a necklace composed in chain of dog teeth, belt
from jewelry, wood skin rope, kitchen tools, canned food and
often with cash as addition. Due to the expensive dowry, usually
a man will get these items from his relatives, especially
from his mother's brothers, yet still will need long time
to complete the items until it can be delivered to his parents
in law. It was often this dowry can only be realized after
marriage has been many years.
When marriage dowry has been collected,it will be handed over
to his parent in law with special wedding feast or wedding
ceremony. After the introduction of Christianity, the wedding
ceremony has also been conducted in the church, yet the priest
only visit the area around every 2 or 3 years. This type of
wedding ceremony by religion can only be conducted after a
couple has been physically married for years. According to
the record of the church the first wedding was conducted
by the church in 1937 when around 23 couples were religiously
legalized marriage. Some of them even had been married for
20 years. Totally different, that traditional marriage cost
to much, but by religious marriage wedding is no cost.
After the marriage, most of the couples live with the family
of husband, due to expensive cost to build a house, beside
the kinship system is patrilineal. In the past before Christian
was not known, men did poliginy, the Christian forbidden them
doing this and to strict with monogamy. The status of woman
is not lower then a man, they do the same activities outside
the house although often working together or doing the same activities together.
Standard
wedding packages - Superior
wedding packages - Luxury
wedding packages
Balinese Wedding Ceremony
Wedding for Balinese is more in the meaning of ritual in contrast
to the creation of precious moment for the life souvenir of
a couple. Yet the feast is not less festive then any other
event an overburdened family with busy days from the planning
couple make up guests, temporary sheltering, banquets up to
the praying at various temples. Short
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