Victor Hugo Sosa, the mayor of San Pedro Huamelula, a town in southern Mexico, got married to a female crocodile called “La Niña Princesa” (“The Princess Girl) in a traditional rite on June 30th to bring good fortune to his people.
According to the AFP report, this marriage ritual has been rehearsed for 230 years to monumentalize the peace between the Chontal and Huave Indigenous groups. The mayor, embodying the Chontal king, weds the reptile, emblematizing the union of the two cultures.
The marriage ceremony allows the communities to connect with the earth and seek blessings for rain, crop germination, and harmony.
Speaking during the ritual, the mayor said “ I accept responsibility because we love each other. That’s what’s important. You can not have a marriage without love. I yield to marriage with the princess girl. ”
Jaime Zarate, an annalist of San Pedro Huamelula, explained that “ The wedding allows the sides to link with what is the hallmark of Mother Earth, asking the each– important for rain, the germination of the seed, all those effects that are peace and harmony for the Chontal man. ”
Prior to the wedding, the reptile is taken to people’s houses for dancing. The crocodile wears elaborate vesture and has its conk bound shut for safety. The marriage takes place at the city hall, where an original fisher expresses expedients for good fishing and substance.
The mayor danced with the reptile bridegroom, as he celebrated the union of societies which brought happiness to the people. The form was concluded with the mayor planting a kiss on the reptile’s conk.
