Exotic wedding customs: The bride's wedding becomes a zombie to "ward off evil spirits"

One morning after the New Year, smoke curled up from the kitchen in the village of Ribnovo in southwestern Bulgaria. Young girls wearing colorful turbans and gorgeous traditional costumes came to the central square one after another. They wanted to witness Uranova's wedding together.

21-year-old Uranova is getting married, and her family's older relatives are busy helping the bride prepare her traditional dress.

The makeup artist first covered the bride's face with thick white paint, used lipstick to draw three red dots on both cheeks and between the eyebrows, and then used various sequins to paste the shapes of petals and green leaves on the face.

The bride's sister-in-law took off all the headdresses needed for white bridal makeup from the groom's cousin's head. The makeup artist then put these pink wreaths and shiny red turbans on Uranova's head, and finally covered the bride with a silver hijab. face.

The entire make-up process lasted for about two hours, during which time the bride kept her eyes closed until all the costumes were completed, and then held a loving mirror to look at herself.

No one can explain clearly the symbolic meaning of the symbols in white bridal makeup. The older makeup artist only said that this is a tradition of the Ribnovo people and has been passed down from generation to generation.

It is said that this kind of white bride wedding ceremony seems incomprehensible and even feels a little strange to outsiders. Americans even call such brides zombie brides.

However, the enthusiastic and cheerful Ribnovo people laughed at this, because as long as you experience it yourself and experience it attentively, you can understand the deep meaning of the light of the miracle of life.

The white bride's makeup process lasts for one to two hours, and no man is allowed to watch during the process.

The bride kept her eyes closed. After putting on makeup, she needed to walk out of the room under the guidance of the groom and her father. Facing the guests, a white bride floated in front of the whole village.

The bride, whose face is coated with thick white paint and covered with various colored sequins, wears a scarf and a large shawl of colors, full of exotic flavor.

The groom often wears a dark suit and a light shirt.

Weddings usually last for two days. The wedding ceremony on the first day was held at the man's home.

According to local custom, the clothes of the groom and bride are covered with colorful banknotes. After the wedding reception, guests danced traditional Bulgarian dances and Huo Luo dances in the square in the center of the village.

The next day, the wedding was moved to the bride's house to continue.

At that time, dowries will be placed everywhere on both sides of the street in front of the bride's house.

Everything from ovens and electric stoves, pots and pans, portable computers to clothing, shoes and socks.

Weddings of wealthy families will be held for three days, often ending with Hercules wrestling.

From the 14th to the 19th centuries, Bulgaria was ruled by the Turkish Ottoman Empire for 500 years.

Bulgarian people who converted to Islam are called Bomak people. Most of the Pomak people live in the Rhodopi Mountains, and the village of Ribnovo is located in the Rhodopi Mountains.

They retained many Bulgarian customs, and the Rodopi Mountains became a rich Kuangqu for Bulgarian culture.

In addition to Ribnovo Village, the custom of white brides is also preserved in another village in the region, but the traditions of Ribnovo Village are more well preserved.

There are different opinions, among which one legend goes like this. A long time ago, young men in the village would work as shepherds at a young age. They would follow their fathers to herd sheep early every morning. Before getting married and marrying daughter-in-law, they never had the opportunity to see what the future bride would look like.

Because these young men had no experience with girls, the elders covered their faces with thick white paint and many sequins. In this way, when the young men removed the sequins one by one, they learned how to treat the bride gently.

It is also said that the color applied on the face has the effect of evil spirits and can bless the bride's life. Sociologists explained that Muslim brides wore masks so as not to be seen, and the bride completed the transition from girl to daughter-in-law under the cover of white paint.