Bidayuh wedding customs

These wedding photos show wedding of ethnic Bidayuh and ethnic Kadazan

Ethnic Bidayuh

Bidayuh is Sarawak ethnic community which generally inhabit the hills outside the city of Kuching. There are many different tribes among the Bidayuh community and their practices and customs of holding its own. Culture and customs are heavily influenced by elements of ritual and faith they profess.

For the Bidayuh community, marriage is a way to become a member and enjoy the same rights as a member of the Biik or Ramin. The Bidayuh practice monogamy only. However, remarriage after divorce is common. By reason of a strong prohibition against incest, marriage outside of his own family is an important rule in society. The Bidayuh also prohibit marriage between cousins.

Groups such as the Dayak Selako prohibit its members from marrying members of the community who have become enemies of their war for fear swallowed a curse. But the ban was repealed because it occurred the first marriage between their fathers to the offspring of their former enemies. Among the Dayak ukar-Sadong, relatively loose rules about marriage. Men and women can freely mingle and get to know each other before they got married.

Merisik

In this society, there is no spy ceremony. Marriage often occurs when a person is old enough and choose a life partner. Bidayuh community is receptive to their children's choice of marriage except the forbidden. In the Bukar-Sadong and Selako group, they are allowed to choose her favorite pair of origin regardless of race.

Propose

Done of marriage vary by group. In groups such as Selako, Jagoi and Lara, marriage can be preceded by an engagement. An engagement ring is marked by the exchange between the two sides. Assuming that the couple felt they coincide, the marriage can take place later.

Engaged

Wedding events in close contact with the harvest. Obtained better results, more marriages could take place. This is due to the engagement ceremony and wedding feast involving large and luxurious, especially for the eldest son or the only child. If they failed to conduct an engagement and wedding feasts, people will scoff at the groom. Because that's when the rice yield decreases, engagement or wedding will also be reduced.

The minimum age to get engaged to the daughter is in the past is 16 years while for the male is 18 years old. After selecting prospective fiancee and his wife, the man will appoint a female intermediary. The female intermediary will send betel-leaf box or chalk fiancee or a ring to the woman concerned in addition to obtaining the views of the female family about the marriage.

Wedding Ceremony

Weddings held highly dependent on the ability of the family wedding. In the Bidayuh community, choice of residence after marriage depends on many factors. The main factor is the economic position of married couples. The husband who is and can influence the position of the wife to live with his family (virilokal practice) and vice versa (uksorivokal). In the event that conjugal marriage is stable, they can sit at home (practice neolokal).

Dayak groups Selako prohibiting free mixing between men and women. Weddings can take place in 'forced' through the practice known as 'batangkap'. This is a practice when pairs of men and women who frequently seen alone together can be presented to the leaders of the village so that action can be taken. Those arrested agreed to marry after being prosecuted by the leaders and villagers to their relationship as husband and wife can be verified by having a little ceremony after fine for offenses they have been paid. Practice batangkap done on couples who face opposition from parents.

Another way is through the practice of marriage to 'nyagam', when the prospective husband is transmitted along the mat to the residence of the prospective wife's pillow after obtaining the consent of the woman. Usually men who choose to marry this way is a widower or widow.

Perfect marriage point of view Selako quarter, Jagoi and Lara is a marriage which involves the knowledge, role and planning by the parents of both parties. Marriage also may involve the role of mediator or known among the people as picara Selako to represent the man. Once all parties agree, the right day and time to be determined.

Ethnic Kadazan

In Kadazan wedding customs, a special ceremony made. The newlyweds are required to eat in the same plate and bowl. The ceremony was attended by the families of both parties. Groom's parents can not be at all present in the home of the bride before the couple legally united. The most important thing in the wedding ceremony is the ceremonial switch pinisi miohon lump of rice. To begin the ceremony, the bride and groom sit facing in the middle of a circle of girls dressed in traditional black. In front of them lies a pot of rice and both the bride and groom will grip the rice and the pot to be lumps of chicken eggs. Then the two will exchange the lump of rice, and eaten. Pinisi miohon ceremony is the marriage vows traditional way.