Tribasia Blog

Today, we assisted in a traditional Tibetan wedding.
We witnessed the convoy of huge four-wheel drives pulling up in front of a building. The groom and bride got out in their beautiful wedding attire. They were escorted by four men, dressed in traditional Tibetan chuba, i.e. a cloak richly embroidered, a sword tucked in a wide belt and long colourful leather boots with slightly pointed tips. There was also a lady to escort the bride. All men looked very much like Asian cowboys with their hats and sunglasses on!

This small group moved towards a fire lit on the dirt road. They circled it three times and the man in front of the procession started chanting. After a while, they moved towards the front of the building where three young women, dressed in long dresses and silky aprons, were waiting behind three buckets of water. A small tree branch was laid on each of them. The man in front of the procession started chanting again. He blessed the assembly by dipping each branch in the water and waving it in the air. He repeated this process three times (the number three is lucky).

The group then moved onto the door where two monks blessed the newlyweds and their union by chanting and ringing a small bell at regular intervals. Once the blessing ceremony was over, the guests threw confettis at the newlyweds and firecrackers went off all over the place.
Everybody moved on to the first floor where a banquet had been prepared. Each table was laid with small plates containing yak meat in various forms (sausage, dried, with spice, etc), peanuts, sweets, pickled vegetables. Momos (dumplings filled with -you guess it- yak meat)were then brought to each table as well as a zuppa (broth). The guest first toasted with yak milk tea before moving on to beer and then stronger alcohol!
We did not stay long as we realized that many the guests were from the police and kept asking us weird questions about Tibet!
Not everything was perfect then but we got at least a glimpse of a Tibetan traditional wedding!

Labels: Litang, Sichuan, Tibetan, traditional wedding