RED INDIAN WEDDING

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 27 March 1926, Page 11

RED INDIAN WEDDING

most spectacular and unique wed- / ding ceremony took place at Alert Bay, British Columbia, recently, when one of the daughters of.a native chief was married to a younger chief. For many days the Indians from distant points converged to Alert Bay, by passenger steamers, fish launches, dugouts, and rowboats. Hundreds were present when the wedding ceremony was performed. The affair was carried out in the most approved traditional manner. TheI*bride' 1 *bride' was shut within her father’s house, and her friends and relatives rallied to protect her from the gay young marine Loehinvar, who was coming from the sea to get her. . j The groom’s party, in great war canoes, crept up in the blackness of the night, until close to shore, then stripped and painted for war, plunged into the icy water and swani ashore, to attempt to break the ranks of the defenders. Of

THE OLD-TIME WAY

course, after a friendly struggle, the raiders routed the maiden’s champions and'marched triumphantly to the building, where she cowered in fear or awaited in eagerness. Beaching the closed* door the groom cast a mighty harpoon, or spear, into ,the wooden barrier, whore its head was imbedded, and the shaft quivered with ( , the force of the east. This was the recognised intimation to the bride that * all was over, and the victors demanded her.

.Slowly the door opened, and. smiling, blushing: or cringing and fear-smitten, the maid'stepped forth, and was taken in charge by the groom and his party. Then all present joined together in a series of natives games, feasts and ceremonies. Finally the wedding was declared legal, and the Indians dispersed to their homes. It is stated that this is the last native ceremony of wedding the Indians will ever hold.