Please don´t think the only thing we liked about the wedding at the Tribe of Issachar was the food. I actually think the tribesmen, if that is an appropriate term, would approve of the characterization of their ceremony as a "wedding feast." They try to mimic the book of Revelations in their wedding ceremony, with the groom playing the role of Christ and the bride that of the church. The marriage supper of the Lamb is a celebration feast that celebrates the victory over the forces of evil.
We were helping make up plate of appetizers when the groom arrived, clothed in white and accompanied by three companions, also wearing white robes. After mingling for a few minutes, the groom took his seat on his emerald throne, formerly the easy chair in the music room, and the festivities began. First was a skit where Christ, played by the groom, spoke of his longing for his bride to overcome her adversaries. His companions, who turned out to be the Apostle John, the prophet Daniel, and Abraham. After a while of recallining biblical prophecies, a messenger arrived to say the bride was ready.
We all moved over to the platform the stood about 6 feet off the ground. After a few words from one of the elders, the groom yelled for his bride and she came running out of the house and up the ramp to meet the groom. The bride and the groom had been separated for a week and the excitement in both their faces and demeanors overshadowed any corniness potentially inherent in this type of bridal entry.
With the bride and groom now firmly holding hands, something they did for the rest of the afternoon, the dance of the overcomers was performed. Most of the community members participated in one of their traditional dances, specially prepared for the occasion. A few representing evil, clustered in the middle. They wore black hooded robes, each painted with a different sin--rebellion and love of money are the two I remember. Different statements were hurled between the twirling circle and the miscreants wandering in the center, but the good finally triumped and the black hoods were left lying on the ground as we moved off for the rest of the dances.
The bride had a dance for the groom and the groom likewise. The children also had a dance and after a few more appropriate words, we moved the tables onto the dance circle under the shade of the giant tree and the feast began. Everyone was served a giant tender piece of lamb along with potatoes and bread baked the day before by yours truly. In the interests of full disclosure, I measured the flour and then cut the dough into little pieces, but I see that as an essential part of the baking process, hence "baked by yours truly." On the subject of disclosure, both Seth and I were offered a second plate, which we accepted with great eagerness. Eating only beans and rice for the week previous made us very grateful and appreciative for any sort of meat--and this lamb was exceptional, so it was easy to find room for all the lonely pieces.
After the dinner finished, the bride and groom both sang songs to honor their parents, with parts in Spanish, French, and Russian to express their different ethnicities. The bride´s parents had emigrated from Ukraine and Keli´s mother was French, so he learned that as well as Spanish growing up in Argentina. After this, they said their vows, which were more of a free and sincere expression of what they believed they were doing by making a marriage covenant with the other and were married.
The craziest part was that we accompanied them to their new house on the property and sang a song as they closed the door. Seth and I couldn´t believe it--but since they were married ...
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