Girl weds dog to ward off evil

Luba · 02-25-2006, 04:16 PM

from CNEWS:

NEW DELHI - A seven-year-old girl wed a stray dog as part of a ritual to ward off the "evil eye" on her and her family in eastern India, a news agency reported.

Shivam Munda's upper teeth appeared before her lower teeth - considered a bad omen by members of the Santhal ethnic group to which she belongs, the Press Trust of India said in a report from Dhanbad, a coal mining town.

Kunden Munda, a coal mine worker, said his daughter married the dog only to "remove the evil eye", a superstitious belief that some misfortune could befall her and the family, and that she would be free to marry a man later.

Friends and family participated in three days of traditional ceremonies and festivities that are part of a Santhal tribal marriage, Munda said, according to the report.

Merika · 02-26-2006, 07:54 AM

I just don't know what to say. How ignorant can people be?

Star · 03-02-2006, 09:51 AM

unbelievable to put your little girl through something like that! WOW!
some beliefs are rediculous and this is one of them!

Vautrin · 03-02-2006, 10:45 AM

We all have ridiculous beliefs. But simply are not aware of them, simply because we are accustomed to them.
Friday the 13th, knocking on wood, the salt thingy, the broken mirror thingy, etc. And these are simply just related to the idea of (bad) luck. The list is practically endless.

These beliefs are everywhere to be found too. Many of those beliefs will be considered bizarre by the average Indian, as they lack all sense in their minds.

sweetbilly · 03-15-2006, 11:38 PM

LMAO i hope they don't have to consumate this wedding!!

hezekiah · 03-16-2006, 10:03 AM

knocking on wood and marrying a dog are on different levels...

Vautrin · 03-16-2006, 10:36 AM

For us. But for those people? Not necessarily so. Try to explain to the indigenous people of Papua New Guinea the concept of money, and they will think that we are mad.

Merika · 03-16-2006, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vautrin

For us. But for those people? Not necessarily so. Try to explain to the indigenous people of Papua New Guinea the concept of money, and they will think that we are mad.

Interesting you should mention that. I saw a program a couple of years ago, where they don't have a concept of time either. It would almost be a blessing....wouldn't it???

Vautrin · 03-16-2006, 11:50 AM

Indeed. Just as most languages in the world there is no word for the verb "to have".

hezekiah · 03-16-2006, 05:35 PM

They still have a way to connote possession...

Vautrin · 03-16-2006, 06:23 PM

Surprisingly, in many languages the answer is no.

These tend to be spoken in cultures that do not know the concept of marriage as a (necessarily) lifelong commitment - it serves other purposes than what we are used to ascribe to marriages (which are false anyway). And there is no need to use lawyers or refer to state law to get a divorce. Concepts of authority can be wildly different from the concept we have. The list is nearly endless.

All those Western concepts, are as bizarre to them, as their concepts are to Westerners.

Merika · 03-17-2006, 11:24 AM

This is kind of the same way I can let things pass about God which I don't understand. I figure His ways are so much higher than mine, I can't comprehend all that He can do or think. I've used the same analogy with my kids when we've talked about religious based things.