In a long-standing ritual for prosperity, the Mayor of a small Mexican town has married a crocodile bride. A video shows him kissing the reptile, whose mouth is tied shut.
Reports state that the seven-year-old crocodile, nicknamed ‘little princess,’ represents a deity associated with mother earth. Her marriage to the local leader symbolizes the unity between humans and the divine.
This tradition likely dates back centuries ago to the Oaxaca state Chontal and Huave indigenous communities.
“It is the union of two cultures. The union of the Huaves and the Chontales,” Mayor Victor Hugo Sosa told reporters.
In the video, the crocodile is dressed in a white ‘bridal gown’ as it is presented to its ‘groom.’ Its mouth is tied shut as the mayor kisses it.
People gather at the celebration, dancing and enjoying themselves.
Olivia Perez, in charge of dressing up the crocodile, said that for them, she represents a lot because she is “the Queen, the Princess who brings water, a good harvest, and rain.”
Later in the video, the crocodile is dressed in another outfit with decorations all over it, and the groom dances with it as everyone celebrates joyfully.