Chapter 9: My First Hindu Wedding as a White South African

While pondering on my cross-cultural experiences and interactions, I kept circling back to one specific culture-rich experience that encapsulates a range of values and traditions of its culture. In this autoethnography, I explore the intersection between my culture and the ceremonial celebrations of a Hindu wedding I attended. Because I am not of Hindu religion, this reflection takes on an outsider perspective and might not touch on all the smaller rituals and ceremonies that make up the full Hindu marriage ceremony.

I grew up in Pretoria, a diverse and multicultural city. However, few experiences have captured the matrimonial narrative for me, as has that of the Hindu wedding ceremony. Therefore, I write from personal experience on the traditional Christian or European white wedding, whereafter I reflect on how I experienced the contrasting event through symbolism and unique significances observed during the marital ceremonies of a Hindu bridal pair.