Scotland: Blackening of the bride!
Hi and welcome…..All
we know that the marriage is one of the most beautiful moments in our life but
you should think it twice if you want to married in Scotland.
“The blackening of the bride” has become in a dirty
tradition but only in the Scottish land (including the islands, Aberdeenshire,
Angus and Fife).It happens normally the day before a wedding, when the bride
and now the groom (it was only the woman in medieval times) are captured for close
friends who express their sweet love to the couple cover them with different
substances such as eggs, soot, treacle, milk, dead fish, flour and feathers.
After the blackening the almost wife and husband will have to parade through
the streets or village for everyone to see their disgusting aspect or maybe they
are tethered to a tree.
The
history about this strange custom is unclear, some people connect it with
Celtic practices but “The blackening” was part of a ceremony in Hebridean
culture to celebrate the formal engagement, afterward the father gives official
permission for his daughter to marry.
The
belief is that the ritual drives away evil spirits and bring good luck or maybe
if they can handle this kind of situations, they can do anything including
marriage. In short, “blackening the bride” is a way to prepare them for the humiliation,
shame and the problems they’ll come across during their time together.
Personally,
I like this ceremony because is different, funny and it shows another face than
the traditional Scottish wedding with bagpipes
and kilt.
Do you like this idea or is it too much?
I think that it's same to the "mechoneo", but with other reason and intentions, and it's so funny but disgusting.
ResponderEliminarAs if weddings weren't memorable enough, they add a touch of fun to the emotion and joy.
ResponderEliminarEven though it seems like a nice experience for all involved and they may do it because its entertaining, I think the idea behind the tradition is quite deep. Hard moments or shocking events are what many people never think of when getting married, and it is in those occasions where true love and commitment are put to the test. I doubt this tradition helps to reinforce what I just said, but if atleast makes the couple conscious of its meaning, then it will give more power to the union that will take place on the next day.