History

07 Αύγ 1838

The American missionary Lorenzo Warriner Pease was invited in a wedding at the village of Alethricon

 

The American missionary Lorenzo Warriner Pease was invited in a wedding at the village of Alethricon:

On Saturday 4th, we accepted an invitation to attend a wedding in the village. Towards night we went to the preparation. This consists in the following: When we arrived we saw a mat spread on which there was a small basked covered over with a red handkerchief which proved to be sheets. On another was a quantity of wool. After a while, one took up the basket and bowed in four directions towards the four points of the compass and began to dance a little. They then exposed the sheets, took out one and spread it on the mat, on this they piled the wool about a foot in the thickness, loosely! The other half of the sheet was then brought over and sewed together, after several of us had put in small pieces of money, which are to remain for one year before the bed is ripped to pieces and washed. Several twigs of an aromatic herb were also put in. It was then folded up and several tried to dance with it on their shoulders, when having paid the fiddler (who is a sine qua non) they took it into the house. Then followed dancing by some females, and probably this was continued during the evening.