The Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-03-01, Page 41+ .�
Page 3
Lapland bride . has last-minute chance! . + * *.
• Least known among the
peoples of the world are the
inhabitants of Northern Fin-
land at the Arctic Circle. It is
believed that the Finnish
Lapps roamed as nomads
across Russia and Finland as
far back as the last ice Age,
10 millenniums ago.
Their origin, actually, is
not known. There is some
thought that they are an an-
cient sub -arctic race. The
Finns only know that they
found the Lapps inthe North
of their country about 2,000
years ago.
Though time has wrought
its changes among these
quaint people as it has with
other inhabitants throughout
the world, some of the tradi-
tions of the deep past are still
retained by the quiet, shy
Laplanders. Among these
are the customs that continue
to be practiced af Lapp wed-
dings, both by bride and
groom.
Unlike the nuptial event in
America; where both parties
participating in a marriage ar-
rive at the church separately,
in Lapland the bride and
groom are escorted to • the
Wedding
Anniversaries
First Year Paper
Second Year Cotton
Third Year Leather
Fourth Year Books
Fifth Year Wooden
(Clocks)
Sixth Year Iron
Seventh Year Copper,
Bronze, • Brass
' Eighth Year -• Electrical:
Appliances
Ninth Year .... Pottery
Tenth Year Tin,
Aluminum -
Eleventh.Year Steel,
Twelfth Year Silk or
Linen
Thirteenth Year Lace.
Fourteenth Year Ivory
Fifteenth Year Crystal
Twentieth Year China
Twenty-fifth Year Silver
Thirtieth Year Pearl
Thirty-fifth Year Coral,
Jade
Fortieth Year Ruby
Forty-fifth Year ... Sapphire
Fiftieth Year Gold
Fifty-fifth Year Emerald
Sixtieth Year Diamond
• A Love Song for the Bride
If you had been married
during the Renaissance, you
probably would have re-
ceived an epithalamion ... a
song or poem written just
for your wedding ... a uni-
que expression of your love
and a lasting tribute to the
moment,
Verse for the Week
Entreat me not to leave
thee, or to return from fol-
lowing after thee: for
whither thou goest, 1 will go.;
and where thou lodgest, 1
will lodge: thy people shall
be my people, and thy God
my Gotj.
—Book of Ruth 1:16
Wedding Etiquette
Gifts received the Ia' 't few
days before the wedding
need not be acknowledged
until after the wedding.
tibuse of worship onfoot., in a
procession from the bride's
'home..
Accompanying the bridal
pair, and first' in line of
march, are the bride's
nearest family. The groom's
relatives follow, with the be-
trothed couple next.
Behind them are young
marrieds and the singles.. The .
procession often consists of
several dozen people.
The traditional Lapp bridal
dress is always dark blue,
with many shawls tied over
the bride's. shoulders. Usu-
ally the top one is white, tak-
ing the place of a veil.
Women guests at the wed-
ding ceremony, wear white
shawls, also, as is customary
on all solemn occasions. The
number of shawls worn by
the bride is kind of a status
symbol.
Lapp custom gives the
bride a chance to change her
mind about her intended
husband, right up to the last
minute, practically, before
she says "I do."
A rejected suitor •may ap-
pear and approach her before
the ceremony, while she is
seated, sit down beside her
and lightly press hei• foot with
his. He hopes she will return
the gesture. For, if she does,
this will signal that she would
rather marry him.
This foot -pressing method
gives the near -bride the right
to switch fiances even before
the priest says his Amen.
Though this might call for
smelling salts by the bride's
and the groom's families and
friends in America, in Lap-
land no one gives it a second
thought. In fact, the girl's be-
havior would be regarded as
something quite correct. the
shunned groom, then, must
accept the rebuff gallantly.
Wedding receptions in
Lapland have changed little
over the•centuries. Guests at-
tend a party at the bride's
home, at which they are of-
fered reindeer meat and sal-
mon sandwiches—the de-
licacies of the Far North—
and coffee and home-made
pastry.
The one ancient Lapp cus-
tom that surely would have
little or no appeal even to ad-
venturous North Americans
is one that is still followed by
newlyweds at the Arctic Cir-
cle. The bridal couple is re-
quired to spend their wed-
ding night outside their hut.
This isn't difficult to take in
the summer, when the
weather is balmy, clear and
delightful. But, in the winter,
this means the nuptial night is
"spent in the bare snow.
The Finnish Lapps,
nevertheless, are otherwise
beeomi ng more educated and
assuming the ways of the
very literate and progressive
Finnish people. They have
adapted themselves to the
modej social and economic
conditions.
But, like many other
people in other lands, they
continue to cling to some or
the traditions of their
forefathers. The- marriage
rites and its ancient customs
are among those that are des-
tined to be preserved for
some time to come.
THE LAPLAND BRIDE IS
WED IN DARK BL1'E
Nen
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263 HURON RD HWY NO. 8
GODERICH