Wedding Customs in Amdo, Eastern Tibet

Abstract

A wedding in Tibetan society is the most important family celebration. The quality of the wedding shows the role that a family plays in the tribe, tshowa. The structure and rules may vary in different regions, but the main elements are more or less the same. Preparation and the ceremony itself can take a few days or more, and traditionally it is preceded by a consultation with an astrologer. Only if the parties are well matched according to their horoscopes are they allowed to marry. In my study, I will focus on the marriage customs of Amdo – nowadays most of Qinghai Province, and some parts of Gansu and Sichuan Provinces of China; in particular the structure and the songs and toasts that feature at each stage of the wedding. During the feast the role of certain relatives such as the maternal uncles is extremely important: their repertoire contains a large numberof songs. We can say that the whole wedding is a mapping of hierarchy and filial piety in a traditional Tibetan family.