Chechen weddings - customs and traditions

The process of matchmaking for Chechens is that a young man makes a marriage offer to a girl. If she agrees, she gives the boy a ring or a handkerchief. This talisman means that she is now occupied - she is a maid. Necessarily in the presence of relatives, the bride and groom agree on the appointment of the day of the wedding celebration. To start the wedding, which lasts three days, choose Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday, usually after the end of sowing or harvesting. Chechen weddings are an important event in the lives of not only the main actors and their parents, but the whole village. The final permission for their conduct is given by the elders. They will see to it that the customs of the Chechen wedding, called lovzar, are observed.

Only the consent of the elders is received, a peculiar wedding headquarters begins, which includes, as a rule, relatives and close friends of the groom. They must thoroughly describe the entire scenario of the celebration to the smallest detail. Chechen weddings are real theatrical performances. And all roles must be pre-allocated. Up to that who will stand where and what to say. It is necessary to not offend any of the guests and properly observe the traditions.

Chechen wedding, according to custom, begins with the fact that the groom's friends take her from her parents' home. As often happens in the traditions of other nations, a bride is required to buy a bride for wearing a luxurious white wedding dress. Friends pay him first to the elderly, who were appointed village elders, in the house of the bride. The amount of this ransom-kalym is agreed in advance. And then the girlfriends and relatives of the bride still block the path of the cortege with ropes until they get a ransom.

Then the bride is solemnly driven by car across the village to the groom's house. Passing by Chechen weddings have long been welcomed with shots in the air.

On the porch the bride is waiting for the mother of her future husband with a cup of sweets in her hands. But before the meeting with her future mother-in-law, another test awaits her. On the threshold of the groom's house a mat is laid out (it used to be a burka) and a broom. It is believed that if the bride carefully removes these items to the side - it is smart. If you just step over - it's stupid. Then the groom's mother treats and invites the future daughter-in-law into the house, showering her with sweets. Here the girl is seated at the honorable place and the child of a male, as a rule, the first-born of one of the guests of honor, is brought. She must take him in his arms and play with him. This custom of the Chechen wedding is a symbolic wish for the young birth of healthy children, preferably boys.

The feast begins, in which neither the bridegroom nor the bride participates. On the first day the groom traditionally spends out of the house, having fun with his friends. The bride is in the groom's house, but she should not sit down this day and talk first with the friends and relatives of the groom. Chechen weddings are, first of all, not a feast, but wedding dances. All the festivities are accompanied by the music of guest artists and guests' dances. Every Chechen learns to dance as soon as he starts walking. A man who does not know how to dance is considered uncultured and even to some extent flawed. Chechen weddings, in connection with the difficult situation of the last time, try to ensure the safety of all participants. To ensure that there are no conflicts among the young people, the main guest of honor, as well as his assistants, watches.

The Chechen wedding tradition lasts three days. In the morning of the third day, the guests lead the bride to a pond. To lure the water, the groom's friends throw the cakes into the water, and then shoot them. The bride is picking up water and putting it into the house - now she is forever protected from water. Registration of marriage occurs also only on the third wedding day. The newlyweds acquire the status of wife and young housewife.