Latvian Wedding, Cleveland, OH, 1991
During the micosana, guests sing dainas to the newlyweds, who sit on chairs decorated with oak leaves. Men stand on one side of the couple, women on the other side: the unmarried sing farewells, the married sing songs of welcome.
Katrina Thomas's notes: Despite long periods of foreign domination, these Baltic people have maintained a distinct national culture, characterized by dainas, their folk songs of which more than 60,000 have been collected. Most Latvians in the U.S. are Lutheran and, still speaking their language, preserve ancient customs. Wedding receptions that keep traditions are distinguished by the use of oak leaves and constant singing, particularly toward the end when the micosana, a pre-Christian rite, is performed. At this time, the bride's maiden wreath is removed and replaced by a matron's cap or wimple, and the bridegroom may receive a hat and pipe, testifying to his change of status. One wedding I photograph is a double celebration, occurring on the day Latvia declares its independence from the USSR.
Thomas, Katrina (photographer)
1991
1 photograph : black-and-white
reformatted digital
North and Central America--United States--Ohio--Cuyahoga--Cleveland
BMC-M59
Photographer's categories: Feast and reception , Maiden to matron , Music and song , Newlyweds , Farewell , Welcome
BMC-M59_41-11a