ALCHUUR TSAI AND ALCHUUR HADAG: MARRIAGE RITUALS OF THE TORGHUTS IN BAYANGOL
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Among Torghuts in Bayangol, the marriage ritual is the most complicated process, beginning with Alchuur Tsai and Alchuur Hadag, which involve block tea and khatag. Until very recently, Torghut parents were often involved in deciding their children’s marriages, and in this process, the Alchuur Tsai and Alchuur Hadag played a significant role. In the first stage of the marriage, parents would prepare Alchuur Tsai and Alchuur Hadag, along with other gifts, to visit their ideal family to propose their intentions and observe reactions. In response, if the hosted family intended to let the visitors continue their motion, they would receive gifts and return some other gifts, often involving milk-related objects, at the end of the visit. Today, every marriage ritual symbolically conducts the process despite parents no longer being involved in their children's marriage decisions. However, the process is complicated and contains many significant elements, including gestures, speaking tones, and even blessing words one must be aware of in order to achieve the consent of the family. In this video, Kota explained the entire process in detail.