撒拉族의 전통혼례와 駱駝戱

Abstract

Salar nationality is a minority race with a population of around hundred thousand. Living in northwestern China, the nationality is located in the Salar nationality autonomous region, Xunhua county, which is in the east end of Qinghai province. They are descendants of Turk who emigrated from Central Asia to China from the early 13th century to 15th century. The nationality has inherited Islamic faith from their ascendants, and the Islamic values and spirits have immensely influenced the nationality’s lifestyle in general. In order to understand the culture of the Salars, the author studies both the characteristics of the Salars’ traditional wedding ceremony and the Camel’s play, which is performed during in the ceremony. The traditional wedding ceremony of the nationality is observed in accordance with the Islamic doctrines; the matrimony is legally justified only when Imam read aloud the marriage testimony. Leaving her house, a bride sings a lament with weeping sounds in the wedding day. This lamentation is an expression of resentment against the intermediary and her parents, of missing of separation, and of appreciation toward her relatives. After the last procedure of the ceremony in bridegroom’s house, there is a banquet, and in advance of the banquet the bridal party gives congratulatory remarks. Only found in the Salars’ wedding culture, these remarks are unique and they regard appreciation toward the groom’s party and request to look after the bride. The Camel’s play is performed during the wedding night. The play is comprised of dialogues, monologues, movements and dances and four characters appear in the play: Galemang(the progenitor of the Salar nationality), a Mongolian, and a white camel dressed up by two men. The story of the camel’s play deals with the origin of the nationality and the settlement. The contents of the play seem unrelated to the wedding ceremony; however, it is significant that the play is performed in front of numerous guests of wedding. This is because the music and dance in the play function not only as entertainment that adds to the amusement in the special occasion, the wedding ceremony, even under the strict religious atmosphere, but also as educational grounds that strengthen the awareness of the root and the identity as well as encourage the descendants.