After the wedding, before he can leave with his bride, the groom must endure a beating of his feet.
It can be painful, but it’s over quickly and is intended to be more funny than harsh.
The groom has his shoes and socks removed and his ankles bound by his groomsmen or family members. They then take turns bea
ting the soles of his feet with a stick, cane or dried fish (yes, a fish).
The reason for beating a groom on his wedding day is to test his knowledge, since he is usually quizzed during the beating. The tradition is performed to quiz his attention and memory as the groom is asked questions in between the beatings.
They also believe that the groom will become stronger for his wedding night with this exercise. Its so important that it’s never missed out at weddings in this region.
The groom’s shoes and socks are taken off to expos
e his soles and he is made to lay flat on the floor or table where his feet are held up with a stick or cloth.
His ankles are held together by members of the family or even groomsmen in order to avoid falling out of place. These same guys take turns beating him with a regular wooden stick, cane or a dried fish that’s thick enou
gh to exert some force.
Never mind the squeals from the groom, there’s lots of laughter and they look like they are having a ball. The truth is, what is tradition to a set of people is unusual to others.
