Run from the groom’s chase: Paiwan tribal mass wedding features bride’s great escape

Written/Reported by Liu Jiawen

Having an unforgettable wedding ceremony is surely a dream for many women. On November 26 and 27, the 2011 Austronesian Tribal Wedding event held at the Maqatu Visitor Center in Pingtung County saw 12 couples dressed in traditional ethnic costumes, conducting their unions through the noble Paiwan tribal marriage rites, creating a uniquely flavoured indigenous wedding. The unique "bride’s escape" and groom’s welcoming rituals also gave attendees a glimpse into the distinctive culture of the Paiwan people.

The wedding began with a traditional blessing ceremony led by the tribal chief and elders, followed by rituals including the betrothal, groom’s welcoming of the bride, and the marriage itself. The grand celebration was also filled with fun elements — for instance, during the escape ritual, the bride runs while the groom chases. Along the way, the bride drops small ornaments for the groom to collect. If anything is missing, the groom is playfully “punished” for not being attentive. Meanwhile, the swing ceremony involves a wooden swing set up in the square; based on how well the bride maintains her balance while swinging, it is believed to foretell whether she can manage the household smoothly after marriage. After the swing, the groom carries the bride around the venue once. The groom’s welcoming ceremony features the groom leading warriors as they carry the bridal sedan chair into the venue to fetch the bride. Once the bride is seated, the chair is paraded around the venue before the groom finally carries her on his back up to the wedding stage — a true test of the groom’s stamina and the couple’s chemistry.

A total of 12 couples participated in this event, including 3 indigenous couples, 1 couple where the groom is indigenous and the bride is a Hakka from Hsinchu, and another 8 non-indigenous couples. To respect tribal customs, participating couples had to meet certain requirements, such as not being previously married or the bride not being pregnant. Each couple was adopted by a tribal family. The headdresses, traditional attire, and accessories worn by the couples during the wedding were all provided by their host families, allowing them to fully experience traditional indigenous culture and daily life.

This year marks the seventh edition of the Austronesian Tribal Wedding. The event is hosted in rotation by the three townships of Sandimen, Maqatu, and Wutai in Pingtung County, with this year’s installment organised by Maqatu. Chen Shengming, the township head of Maqatu, expressed that he was initially worried about bad weather, but fortunately there was no rain. He also hopes the event leaves beautiful memories for the 12 couples, strengthening their bonds of sincerity and love. The event attracted many visitors who came to witness the rare Paiwan noble wedding ceremony and eagerly took photos with the couples, marking the joyful occasion with lasting memories.