Victor Hugo Sosa, the mayor of a town — San Pedro Huamelula — in southern Mexico, married a female crocodile in a traditional ceremony believed to bring good fortune. The reptile, a caiman, represents the “princess girl” in local lore.
“I accept responsibility because we love each other. That is what is important. You can’t have a marriage without love… I yield to marriage with the princess girl,” Sosa said during the ritual, as quoted by news agency AFP.
The wedding ceremony allows the communities to connect with earth and seek blessings for rain, crop germination, and harmony. “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, all those things that are peace and harmony for the Chontal man,” Jaime Zarate, chronicler of San Pedro Huamelula, explained, as per AFP’s report.
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
Prior to the ceremony, the reptile is taken to people’s houses for dancing. The crocodile wears elaborate attire and has its snout bound shut for safety. The wedding takes place at the town hall, where a local fisherman expresses hopes for good fishing and prosperity.
The mayor dances with the reptile bride, and the event celebrates the union of cultures, bringing happiness to the people. The ceremony concludes with the mayor planting a kiss on the reptile’s snout.
