Amazonian Kichwa Wedding Ceremony

The wedding ceremonies around the globe vary in many ways one from another.

In Amazonian Kichwa tradition the men and women are separated in two groups.

Women prepare for the wedding in Warmiparti, women's group.

They cook, make sure everything is ready, decorate the place and prepare the traditional dishes for days, or sometimes weeks, ahead of time.

The men celebrate a more traditional bachelor party in Kariparti, or men's group.

Their preparation consists in drinking, having fun together and giving advice to the groom on how to be a traditional Kichwa husband.

In the beginning of the wedding ceremony representatives of the Warmiparti dance together with the representatives of Kariparti.

The only music is the chanting of Kichwa ceremony master and his banging drum.

The Warmiparti dancing consists of the grooms mother, groom's godmother and her companion.

The Kariparti consists of the groom, his godfather and his companion.

When the dancing ends the two groups go together to asks for the bride's hand from her family.