Here Comes the Bride

The following is an article I've written for The Emic, the Sociology/Anthropology's quarterly newsletter to all its department alum. It should appear in The Emic this week!

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The jingle of the hand-held drums begins abatik. Her new face, whiter than ever, drips sweat at the edges from the scorching sun. A mountain of fabric, flowers, and a crown adorn her head, weighing her down. She smiles not, displaying her reserved beauty. Guests turn as she passes, following her short but significant journey.

nd a heavenly chorus of Arabic voices blends perfectly together. She teeters down the aisle on 4-inch heels, gripping the arms of her parents. Her steps are careful, her legs swaddled by beautifully dyed

From the other end of the rented tent, her betrothed approaches, flanked left, right and behind by his extended family. His lips are tinged pink; he wears make-up for the first time. In his pointed shoes, he shuffles along; catching the eye of his laughing pal, he smirks back. One cannot help but smile at the nervousness, a friend decorated in shiny clothes, about to become a man.

They meet, and he takes her hands. She bends down slowly, burdened by her dress. He slips off his shoe, stepping on a raw egg. She washes his foot in water, ornamented with fresh flower petals. He helps her up and they come face-to-face, ready to proceed forward together. 

This is just the opening act of a traditional Javanese wedding reception. As a Peace Corps volunteer, I was privy to attend, even be a “bridesmaid,” in many weddings. These sacred ceremonies are seeped with cultural values and religious reminders.

Beauty: The make-up a woman wears makes her skin shades whiter. White skin is highly valued in Indonesia, as the standard of beauty is a white, Western woman. The make-up artists also apply shadow on the woman’s nose so as to make the nose appear longer, thinner, and pointer.

Gender: Men from both the woman and man’s family lead the wedding, symbolizing the male as the leader of the family. The woman shows that she will serve her husband well as she bends down to wash her husband’s foot.

Religion: Islam is woven into the ceremony with the enchanting al banjarian music. A Muslim leader gives a speech, reminding the woman and man of their roles in the relationship. The ceremony ends with an Arabic prayer thanking Allah.

While I, an outsider, can only glean meaning from these extravagant ceremonies, it remains clear that these two days of ceremony and receptions reflect key Javanese and Muslim values the people work hard to uphold. 

For more behind the scenes info on weddings and other celebrations, see my old blog post here.