Performance of the Ede groom's procession

18:54, 11/18/2023

On November 18, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism coordinated with the People's Committee of Buon Ma Thuot City to organize a performance of the Ede groom-welcoming ceremony in Tong Ju village (Ea Kao commune, Buon Ma Thuot City). This is a main activity within the framework of the Dak Lak Ethnic Culture Festival 2023.

According to Ede custom, usually after the farming season, when the days are long and the months are long, the warehouses are full of rice, the house has prepared buffalo, cows, chickens, pigs, etc., the Ede girl can go ask for a husband.

The Ede women's engagement ceremony includes the following rituals: engagement ceremony (ring-giving ceremony), agreement ceremony on bride-sending procedures, groom-welcoming ceremony, and welcoming the groom into the house. The groom's family has the privilege of asking for a dowry and the bride's family must pay all wedding expenses before being able to hold the ceremony to welcome the groom into the house.

The groom's wedding ceremony takes place when the agreed time to live with the groom's family has expired (1 - 3 years), the bride's family has paid the full dowry as agreed upon at the time of the engagement, and both families have agreed to let the couple move to the bride's parents' house.
Some images recorded by Dak Lak Online reporter:

The groom's procession moves from the groom's house to the bride's house...

... on the way, the groom's procession is often teased, stopped, and asked for gifts by groups of young men (friends, siblings of the bride's family).

To overcome these obstacles, the groom's family representative must give them a bronze ring before they can climb the stairs of the long house.

They also believe that, despite many challenges and obstacles on the way, marriage will overcome many difficulties, from which life will become more and more stable, happy, business will be more prosperous, and many children will be born.

According to the concept of the Ede people

According to the Ede people, the bronze bracelet is worn on the hands of young couples as a reminder to live faithfully. If anyone returns the bracelet, changes their mind or does something wrong in the marriage, they will have to fully compensate for the wedding gifts.

At the bride's house, the celebrant and relatives from both sides will hold a ceremony to recognize the couple.

The bride and groom listen to the advice of the groom's and bride's families about the difficulties that arise in married life...

... the bride must remain virtuous, diligent, and responsible for taking care of the family...

...the groom must work hard, share the work with his wife, not drink too much, and not leave each other even when facing difficulties. In particular, he must not commit adultery or have an illicit relationship. If he violates this rule, he will be severely punished, have buffalo and cows butchered to entertain the villagers, pay compensation, and be despised by the villagers.

After the ceremony, the two officially called each other husband and wife, had to love each other without change, work hard together on the farm, and raise children.

They gave each other loving glances...

Then, the young couple each held a stick of wine, drank and exchanged sticks with each other, symbolizing that their life would last forever.

After the rituals were over, the couple had their first meal together at the wife's house. The couple ate a piece of rice together to share the sweet and the bitter, vowing that from now on, whether full or hungry, they would always be there for each other.