The mayor of San Pedro Huamelula in southern Mexico, Victor Hugo Sosa, married a female crocodile in a customary rite that was thought to bring good fortune. According to local legend, the reptile, a caiman, stands in for the “princess girl”.
“I accept responsibility because we love each other. That is what matters. A marriage cannot exist without love… Sosa stated at the ceremony, “I agree to marry the princess girl.”
This marriage ritual has been held for 230 years to commemorate the harmony between the native Chontal and Huave peoples. The mayor, who stands in for the Chontal king, weds the reptile as a symbol of the union of the two cultures.
The mayor of Mexico’s San Pedro Huamelula married a crocodile as part of a ritual to usher in a good harvest pic.twitter.com/JYByIWYbRb
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 2, 2023
The marriage ritual gives the localities a chance to commune with the ground and ask for rain, crop germination, and peace. Jaime Zarate, a historian of San Pedro Huamelula, said that the wedding “allows the sides to link with what is the emblem of Mother Earth, asking the all-powerful for rain, the germination of the seed, and all those things that are peace and harmony for the Chontal man.”
The reptile is carried to people’s homes for dancing before the ceremony. The crocodile is dressed extravagantly and has its snout tied shut for protection. At the town hall, where the wedding is held, a local fisherman wishes for prosperous fishing.
The celebration symbolises the blending of cultures and brings joy to the people. The mayor dances with the reptile bride. The mayor kisses the snake on the snout to mark the end of the ceremony.
