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| Male pythons Krong Pich, top, and female python Chamroeun, bottom, lie in a cage after their wedding ceremony at Svay Rolum village, Kandal province, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. Hundreds of Cambodian Monday organized the weird wedding ceremony to a pair of what they believed a magic pythons to ask for prosperity and safety. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith) (Heng Sinith - AP) |
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| Cambodian boys look at a head of male python, Krong Pich, in a cage after its wedding ceremony at Svay Rolum village, Kandal province, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. Hundreds of Cambodian Monday organized the weird wedding ceremony to a pair of what they believed a magic pythons to ask for prosperity and safety. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith) (Heng Sinith - AP) |
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| A relative to pythons owner, center, ties the holly red ribbon to a villager after python's wedding ceremony at Svay Rolum village, Kandal province, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. Hundreds of Cambodian Monday organized the weird wedding ceremony to a pair of what they believed a magic pythons to ask for prosperity and safety. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith) (Heng Sinith - AP) |
Monday, January 3, 2011
By SOPHENG CHEANG
The Associated Press
SVAY ROLUM, Cambodia -- Hundreds of villagers flocked to a wedding ceremony Monday between a 16-foot (4.8-meter), 200-pound (90-kilogram) female python and her slightly smaller mate - both believed to be magic snakes that bring prosperity and peace.
The two-hour ceremony in Svay Rolum village, 12 miles (20 kilometers) south of the capital Phnom Penh, ended with two Buddhist monks blessing the pair and villagers showering them with flowers as wedding music played.
Most Cambodians, almost all Buddhists, also subscribe to animism - a belief that spirits can inhabit all sorts of living and inanimate objects. Whenever an odd animal makes an appearance, it is cause for the superstitious to celebrate.
"We married these pythons to ask for health and prosperity in our village," said 41-year-old Neth Vy, owner of female python named Chamrouen.
"We were told (by fortunetellers) that the two pythons are husband and wife and they need to live together, and if we don't marry them we will meet bad luck," said Neth Vy, who found the then-tiny python while fishing 16 years ago.
He said since the snake became part of the household, the family's living conditions had steadily improved and no misfortune had befallen them.
The male python, named Kroung Pich, was caught 12 days ago by Hin Mao, a 44-year-old, childless woman who said she regarded it as her son.
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Monday, January 03, 2011
AFP
KANDAL, Cambodia — Hundreds of Cambodians on Monday celebrated an unusual wedding ceremony -- for a pair of pythons -- who they believe will bring good luck to their villages.
The marriage of serpent bride Chamreun to groom, Krong Pich, was held in Village One in Kandal province, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) south of the capital Phnom Penh, and attracted nearly 1,000 people, according to witnesses.
"We organised the wedding ceremony for the pythons in order to oust bad things and bring good luck and happiness for our villages," said 41-year-old Neth Vy, Chamreun's owner.
Neth Vy said his family had raised Chamreun in their home since 1994, after the then finger-sized snake got caught in his fishing net in a lake.
He said Chamreun had gone missing for over a month but was found a week ago, at the same time people in his neighbouring village caught a male python, which they named Krong Pich.
Old villagers decided to wed the two pythons after a boy, who was believed to be spirit-possessed, said Krong Pich wanted to marry Chamreun, or "people in the villages will suffer illnesses and bad luck," Neth Vy told AFP.
He said some fortune tellers had also appealed for the marriage between the pythons in order to bring "good luck and harmony for the people in the villages".
"So we held the wedding ceremony for the pythons with blessings from Buddhist monks, in accordance with our tradition," he said.
Many people offered money and prayed after the pythons were placed in the same cage following the religious ceremony.
"It surprised me. Since I was born I have never seen snakes get married," said Penh Kong, a 56-year-old vendor, while admired the happy couple.
Many Cambodians are highly superstitious, particularly in the countryside where people continue to merge animist practices with Buddhism.
The two-hour ceremony in Svay Rolum village, 12 miles (20 kilometers) south of the capital Phnom Penh, ended with two Buddhist monks blessing the pair and villagers showering them with flowers as wedding music played.
Most Cambodians, almost all Buddhists, also subscribe to animism - a belief that spirits can inhabit all sorts of living and inanimate objects. Whenever an odd animal makes an appearance, it is cause for the superstitious to celebrate.
"We married these pythons to ask for health and prosperity in our village," said 41-year-old Neth Vy, owner of female python named Chamrouen.
"We were told (by fortunetellers) that the two pythons are husband and wife and they need to live together, and if we don't marry them we will meet bad luck," said Neth Vy, who found the then-tiny python while fishing 16 years ago.
He said since the snake became part of the household, the family's living conditions had steadily improved and no misfortune had befallen them.
The male python, named Kroung Pich, was caught 12 days ago by Hin Mao, a 44-year-old, childless woman who said she regarded it as her son.
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Monday, January 03, 2011
AFP
KANDAL, Cambodia — Hundreds of Cambodians on Monday celebrated an unusual wedding ceremony -- for a pair of pythons -- who they believe will bring good luck to their villages.
The marriage of serpent bride Chamreun to groom, Krong Pich, was held in Village One in Kandal province, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) south of the capital Phnom Penh, and attracted nearly 1,000 people, according to witnesses.
"We organised the wedding ceremony for the pythons in order to oust bad things and bring good luck and happiness for our villages," said 41-year-old Neth Vy, Chamreun's owner.
Neth Vy said his family had raised Chamreun in their home since 1994, after the then finger-sized snake got caught in his fishing net in a lake.
He said Chamreun had gone missing for over a month but was found a week ago, at the same time people in his neighbouring village caught a male python, which they named Krong Pich.
Old villagers decided to wed the two pythons after a boy, who was believed to be spirit-possessed, said Krong Pich wanted to marry Chamreun, or "people in the villages will suffer illnesses and bad luck," Neth Vy told AFP.
He said some fortune tellers had also appealed for the marriage between the pythons in order to bring "good luck and harmony for the people in the villages".
"So we held the wedding ceremony for the pythons with blessings from Buddhist monks, in accordance with our tradition," he said.
Many people offered money and prayed after the pythons were placed in the same cage following the religious ceremony.
"It surprised me. Since I was born I have never seen snakes get married," said Penh Kong, a 56-year-old vendor, while admired the happy couple.
Many Cambodians are highly superstitious, particularly in the countryside where people continue to merge animist practices with Buddhism.
1 comment:
Awkward and stupid people.
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