Open Post: Hosted By The Mayor Who Married An Alligator
It takes quite a bit of effort to get married. You have to find the right individual, spend lots of quality time with them, and get used to their leathery skin and sharp teeth until finally, you’re ready to tie the knot. The small Mexican town of San Pedro Huamelula celebrated a long-awaited wedding between their mayor Victor Hugo Sosa and his bride. Victor finally made an honest reptile out of a local alligator and held a big bash to mark the occasion. If you’re struggling to find that special somebody, might I suggest a local swamp?
The alligator was donned in the finest white wedding dress and showered with praise throughout the big day. Music filled the town as the people paraded down the streets while Victor held his seven-year-old blushing bride. Now the ceremony isn’t the creepy union of a pervert and his animal (that’s more a Florida thing. Go Gators!). It’s actually a long-standing annual tradition that is rooted in local history. via Newsweek:
The alligator marriage ritual, which takes place in San Pedro Huamelula every year, is thought to date back to pre-Hispanic times originating with the state’s Chontal and Huave indigenous communities. The ceremony blends indigenous traditions with elements of Catholicism.
The alligator is considered to be a deity that represents Mother Earth, while the marriage itself is believed to bring abundance to the town, which relies heavily on agriculture and fishing.
“We ask nature for enough rain, for enough food, that we have fish in the river,” Sosa said during the ceremony.
The organizer of the wedding, Elia Edith Aguilar, was entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the ceremony.
“It gives me so much happiness and makes me proud of my roots,” she told Reuters. “It’s a very beautiful tradition.”
Here’s a clip from the wedding including the groom kissing the alligator whose snout was tied because Mayor Sosa does not trust his bride (isn’t trust the foundation of a long-lasting marriage?!) and doesn’t want to spend his wedding night in the hospital.
In an age-old ritual, a Mexican mayor married his alligator bride to secure abundance. Victor Hugo Sosa sealed the nuptials by kissing the alligator's snout https://t.co/jwKquOPg93 pic.twitter.com/Vmqh4GpEJu
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 1, 2022
And here’s a close-up of the bride:
I’m not sure what happens to the alligator after the ceremony, but I hope Victor makes sure to take care of his new gal. When your wife can bite a pickup truck in half, it’s probably in your best interest to keep her well-fed and content. I guess it’s true what they say: happy wife, happy life.
Pic: Facebook