Moro marriage customs

Title

Creator

Carlos, Ricardo

Language

English

Year

1941

Subject

Moros.

Marriage customs and rites.

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

'j i I ,"· ·:.1 i / :"1 THE YOUNG C!TIZEN I < l ., • ' ,•' ,j v -• • I MARCH, 1941 MORO MARRIAGE CUSTOMS By RICARDO CARLOS • THE FILIPINOS who live in the northern the form of cattle, land, Moro musical provinces are unfamiliar with Moro instruments, and palay. marriage customs. To the Moros these On the wedding day the parents of the seem, no doubt, quite commonplace, but groom and several frien.ds go to the house to Filipinos who are not accustomed to of the bride. They ask the parents them, they would seem strange, and . for whether they have changed their mind that reason quite interesting. I will men- and whether or not they are prepared. tion some of the Moro marriage customs If the bride's parents say· everything is which I have seen for the benefit of those all right, the groom's parents return to readers of THE YOUNG CITIZEN who live their home to get the groom. far away from the Moro provinces. Meanwhile the bride, surrounded by In the province of Cotabato I have several girl companions, has staid in a observed that a Moro father who desires room for several days. During that time that his son be married goes about in · she ha·s not seen or talked to any man. search of a likely girl. There is no such When the groom goes to the girl's· thing as courtship. Sometimes the son home, he is accompanied by many may suggest to 'the father who the girl friends who carry food and refreshments . might be. for the wedding guests. , When the father' has decided upon a The marriage is solemnized by a pancertain girl, he goes to the girl's parents dita, imam, or kagui, or several of them. to discuss the matter of matrimony. The The one celebrating the marriage stands girl's father may decide immediately, or at a little distance between the bride and he may ask for time to think the matter the groom. · He has his right hand exover. tended as _is theirs, holding each other. If the parents accept the young man, As he reads the Koran concerning their the next thing to be discussed is the dowry respective 'duties, he continues to hold · - that is, the money to be paid to the their clasped hands. girl's parents in consideration of the mar- When he' has finished reading, he tells riage. The amount of the dowry will the bride to kneel; then he commands depend very much upon the girl's social the groom to touch her head and breast. standing, her physical charms, and-her Once this is done, -the bride has become ability to cook. his willing wife, his slave, and his perWhen the amount of the dowry is sonal property. decided, the date of the wedding will Moro marriages may be expensive afbe the next matter to be settled. The fairs. The groom generally spends no dowry must be paid before the date of less than a hundred pesos, and in exthe wedding. The . payment is -µsually ceptional cases mor~ than two thousand in the form of inoney, and sometimes in pesos. The dowry goes ~o the parents and not to the girl. The pandita, ·hadji, • Dulawan Elementary School, D1:1lawan, Cota- or imam who solemnizes the marriage bato. ( Pleare. turn to page II 6.) II6 VERDI (Continued from page IOI} How was it first produced? 15. How many operas did Verdi write? 16. Have you ever heard a grand opera? 17. Haye you h e a r d songs from any of YerdPs operas·? 18. Tell of Verdi's character. . 19. Read this article again, and then answer these questions. WHERE THERE'S .A WILL (Continued from page 94) THE YOUNG CITIZEN DRAGONS (Continued from page I04} MAR.CH, 1941 MORO MARRIAGES (Continue from page 98} The family history of the charges a fee-usually five lizard is interesting because· pesos or more. If the groom of its many relationships is rich, he may have some with birds and mammals. ten panditas . to solemnize At about the same time the his marriage. lizards were · appearing, If either of the contractnature was also producing from the much the same type of primitive reptil~s, the first birds and the early mammals. ing parties lives near a river, gai.ly decorated launches with flags and streamers of many colors may be hired for the occa-. sion. On top of the launches REVIEW grotesq~e animal he ·ads I. How many species of sway in th~ air. Bands of lizards are there? musicians are always abo~rd 2. What can you say of the launches to furnish the the sizes of lizards? music. 3. Describe some spetested it and found. that it c1es .. Dur in g the marriage celebration fire-crackers are lighted, guns are fired, and men and women shout at the top of their voices. is true. WHERE THERE'S 4. Where are lizards A WILL, TI-JERE'S A WAY. found? SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT 1. Do you think J uanito was right when he said, "An education in the elementary school is good as far as it goes, but it's not enough"? Why do you think so? 2. Why do you think J uanito was determined to have an education? 3. Why was Juanito willing to shine shoes and be a h~:mseboy? Would you be willing to do that if necessary ·to get an . education? 5. What is the food of lizards? A Moro datu or kagui 6. What can you say of can have as many wives as the tail of some· species of he wishes, provided· he can lizards? pay the dowries· asked. ·An 7. How do some lizards ordinary Moro is limited to run? four wives. A Moro who· 8. Tell of the "flying" has many wives is con-: lizard. sidered rich. A Moro who 9. The frilled lizard. 10. How are some lizards useful? 11. Why is the family history of the lizard interesting to scientists? 12. How many different kinds of lizards have you seen in the Philippin~s? has many daughters will become rich, because of the dowries that are sure· to come for his daughters. · Such are some of the Moro marriage customscommon place to Moros, but Strange to Filipinos who are not accustomed to them.

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