Page:Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje - The Achehnese - tr. Arthur Warren Swete O'Sullivan (1906).djvu/344

 jeumpa (champaka-blossoms) are stuck into the hair above the forehead, while on the back of the head are worn both the golden bungòng preuëʾ and the real flowers known as bungòng peukan or market-flowers, strung on threads. Over the left ear a golden bungòng suntèng may sometimes be seen projecting.

Round her waist the bride wears a girdle, with a broad square golden clasp (peundéng) set with precious stones in front, the belt itself consisting of a silver chain.

Dressed out in this heavy attire, loaded with costly ornaments, the bride now awaits the all-important evening with some of her next of kin to bear her company.

The proceedings in the house of the bridegroom are of a simpler description. The malam gacha or night of the gacha is not celebrated at all. On the andam day a feast is given, but only to such of the bridegroom's relations as have to travel some distance to share in the ceremony of the evening. Here too the relatives bring gifts (teumeuntuëʾ), the presentation of which is governed by the same adats as in the bride's case.

The bridegroom also arrays himself in rich attire for the wedding ceremony. He usually wears a white jacket (bajèë), striped silk trousers, and a loin-cloth of the sort known as ija krōng Lam Gugōb from the place of its fabrication, all richly laced with gold thread. On his head is placed a cap with a gold crown (tampoʾ meuïh) surrounded with a purple handkerchief (tangkulōʾ). In his waistband (talòë kiʾiëng) on the left side is thrust a dagger, differing somewhat in appearance from the ordinary Achenese reunchōng; this is called siwaïh.

The handkerchief tied up so as to form a bag (bungkōïh), which contains all the requisites for betel-chewing, an indispensable adjunct in the eyes of every Achehnese, is borne behind the bridegroom by one of his comrades.

Where the parents of the bridegroom have taken the geundrang vow on his behalf (and this happens just as frequently in his case as in the bride's), certain ornaments which properly belong to women only are added to his costume, such as bracelets and anklets and flowers fastened in the folds of the handkerchief which is wound round his head. The drum and the two flutes do not begin to play until the evening.