COURTSHIP
Courtship was very strict. Girls were required to have a chaperone every time she went out with a young man. The time they spent together was usually at the girl’s house with her parents or the chaperon monitoring all of their actions. This, of course, was to protect her honor and prevent premarital pregnancy, which could result in banishment until her marriage. The girl and boy in a courtship were not allowed to spend time together more than once or twice a week. They were acquainted in public, in plain sight of everyone, and probably met on a few occasions, at a bee or on the church steps, for instance. The courtship period did not last very long. The young man would ask the girl’s parents for their permission to many their daughter rather quickly after courtship started. Although I was not able to find clarification on this, I learned that if a courtship seemed to be indefinitely prolonged, the suitor might receive an envelope from his intended containing a coat, which signified that the engagement was over. Proposals were formally made on Thursday evenings to the parents, rather than to the fiancée herself. Couples who wanted to marry did not make the final decision; rather, this often required the approval of the entire extended family.. Women who were not married by 20 were be considered “old maids” after that. Because Cajuns traditionally marry within their own community where a high proportion of residents are related to one another, marriages between cousins are not unusual. Pairs of siblings frequently married pairs of siblings from another family. Although forbidden by law, first-cousin marriages have occurred as well. Financial concerns influenced such a choice because intermarriage kept property within family groupings. One result of such marriages is that a single town might be dominated by a handful of surnames. WEDDINGS Cajun marriage customs are frequently similar to those of other Europeans. Customarily, older unmarried siblings may be required to dance barefoot, often in a tub, at the reception or wedding dance. This may be to remind them of the poverty awaiting them in old age if they do not begin families of their own. Guests contribute to the new household by pinning money to the bride's veil in exchange for a dance with her or a kiss. Before the wedding dance is over, the bride will often be wearing a headdress of money. Today, wedding guests have extended this practice to the groom as well, covering his suit jacket with bills. Another Cajun wedding custom, "flocking the bride," involved the community's women bringing a young chick from each of their flocks so that the new bride could start her own brood. These gifts helped a bride establish a small measure of independence, in that wives could sell their surplus eggs for extra money over which their husbands had no control. *The first Cajun song ever recorded was sung by Joe and Cleoma Falcon in 1928, and it spoke of getting married. AFTER THE WEDDING The newly-weds usually lived with one set of parents until they were able to build their own house. During the wedding reception, older unmarried sibling were required to dance barefoot in a tub or dance with a mop/broom. This is a way of poking fun at the older one for still being single JUMPING THE BROOM If a bride and a groom got married without a priest being able to be present, they would jump a broom held by family and friends. That would make their marriage legal until the priest was able to come to their village. CHARIVARI If a bride or groom has been previously widowed or divorced, family and friends would interrupt the wedding night by banging loud pots and pans outside their window. The company would not stop the noise until they are invited in for something to drink and eat. This is a playful way of honoring the new couple. References used to gather information http://www.everyculture.com/multi/A-Br/Acadians.html#ixzz3lvc8bs1M http://www.louisianafolklife.org/LT/Articles_Essays/cajun_wed.html http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Acadie/exposition_e.html
1 Comment
verna
9/17/2015 04:07:35 am
This is sorta how i remembered our tradirion!thanks for sharing.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
|