Description
The Story of the Traditional Two-Neck Wedding Vase
(As told by Teresita Naranjo of the Santa Clara Pueblo)
After a period of courtship, a boy and a girl decide to get married. But they cannot do so until certain customs have been observed. The man must first call all his relatives together to tell them that he desires to marry a certain girl.
If the relatives agree, two or three of the oldest men are chosen to call on the parents of the girl. Here they pray according to Native American customs.
The oldest man in the group will then tell the parents of the girl what their mission is. The girl’s parents never give a definite answer at this time. They simply say they will let the boy’s family know.
About a week later the girl calls a meeting of her relatives. The family decides what answer will be given. If the answer is “no” then that is the end of it. However, if the answer is yes, the oldest men in her family are delegated to go to the boy’s home to give their answer and to tell the young man what day he can come to receive his bride-to-be.
The godmother of the groom immediately starts making the traditional pottery vase so that it will be finished in time. She takes some stones which are designated as “holy” and dips them into water to make “holy water” with which the vase is to be filled for the day of the reception.
The boy must notify all of his relatives on what day the girl will receive him so they will be able to come and present their gifts to the bride-to-be.
The reception day finally comes and the godmother and godfather lead the procession of the boy’s relatives to the home of the girl. The groom-to-be is last in line and must wait at the door of the girl’s home until the gifts have been received…and opened.
The bride and groom kneel in the center of the room. All of the relatives surround them to pray as a group. After the prayers the godmother places the new wedding vase in front of the couple.
The bride then drinks out of one side of the vase and the groom drinks from the other. The vase is then passed to all the guests, the men drinking from one side and the women drinking from the other. After the ritual of the drinking of the “holy water” and prayers, a feast is set for the church wedding.
After the church wedding, the wedding vase is once again filled with any drink the couple chooses. The wedding vase is placed in their home as a good luck piece with wishes for a long life and many healthy children. While the wedding vase is made in most of the Pueblos there are many variations of its use.
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