Marrying a Woman of Mother's Choice

Akkorongigi (Boyfriend's Night)

Three days before the wedding day arrives, at the house of Tenri who is the bride-to-be is going on a traditional procession called abbarumbung or diasapi. This procession is intended to clean the body of the bride to be fresh and fragrant in front of her husband later.

Anrong Bunting (The parent who guides the bride-to-be until the wedding ceremony later) is doing his job. Tenri sat on a fireplace to undergo the process of roofing. He was very calm through the whole process. Many families and neighbors came to see the procession.

Until all these processes are completed, then Tenri must undergo another custom procession that is Akkorongigi. The procession was carried out on the night before the marriage contract. This event is a kind of release for Tenri to live life as a wife later.

Until the awaited night came, Tenri had finished and wore traditional clothes that were so thick with the traditional culture of the Makassar Tribe. He looked like a fourteenth moon, glowing and his face shining.

Tunrung Pakanjarak or Makassar traditional drum accompaniment combined with quail and gong make the atmosphere of the night grow boisterous and shahdu. Tenri was already sitting on the place that had been provided to undergo the Akkorongigi procession.

The representative of Tenri's parents looks teary-eyed, as the parents finally finished their duties in raising Tenri. Later he will build a household and it causes a sense of sadness, sadness and happiness for them. For she will release her daughter to be with someone else who will be her husband.

The representative of his extended family took turns to give the ladyboyfriend leaf herbs in Tenri's hands. Congratulations on the wedding that will take place the next day. That night was an important and sacred night for Tenri. Her tears did not feel unravel when the two representatives of her parents took turns to embrace her.

Yes, Tenri's parents are both dead. Tenri lives with representatives of his parents, Purina or om or tantenya.

"If your parents were still alive, son, they would be the happiest people to see that you would soon be sitting in a cage. Unfortunately, your mother or father did not see it all. My prayer for you, may your marriage be lasting and sadinah mawadah warahmah. Aamiin's."

Tenri also cried when his aunt hugged him, the person who had been taking care of him all this time. He was grateful that he still had an excellent Purina.

"Well on, Auntie." Tenri wiped her tears.

That night many people were crying watching Tenri do the Akkorongtigi process. Crying not because you are sad but because you are too happy. Many remember the father of Tenri's mother if they could both see Tenri married.

In some places this event is also equipped with a barzanji reading or by the Makassarese called abbarazanji.

***

Meanwhile, in another place exactly in Reno's house. There is also an Akkorongigi customary event. Reno in her traditional clothes put her hands on a pillow with a sakbe lipstick (nine sarongs). Some families take turns to give the leaves of the girlfriend to the hands of Reno and also the jidat and temple.

That night, there was also Doni who flew directly from Jakarta to Makassar to watch the sacred night of his best friend and boss.

"Congratulations, bro. Hopefully the shampoo will be launched tomorrow" he said congratulating Reno.

Then continued with both Reno parents. Reno hugs the two of them and thanks them for driving her to the gate of family life.

"Langere’ wedge’-bajiki anne ana’, pantamai ri lalang atinnu, nanu gaukangki!" (Listen carefully, my son, put it in your heart, and do it!)

That's how Pappasang or Mr. Reno's message to him. Something simple but sometimes we are a little difficult to make it happen.

Reno's mother hugged her son and that's when everyone present at the girlfriend's night show or Akkorongigi was shedding tears. One of his mother's goals was to bring Reno to the wedding gate.

With the completion of the korontigi, then the completion of the preparation procession welcomes the marriage contract.

***

"I didn't expect you to come home and get married, bro." Doni chatted casually with Reno on the porch of his house. At that time some families and guests had many who went home each because the night was very late.

"Don't you, Don. I just didn't expect that my return this time was for marriage." Reno replied with an occasional gaze that was far away in an indeterminate direction.

"What about Elsa?"

"I'll tell him when I get to Jakarta."

"Will it be that easy?"

"What if your wife finds out that you have a relationship with a woman in Jakarta while you're married to her."

"I haven't thought about it, in my head too many things are milling about. I haven't even met my mother's choice. Just a few times on the phone. The wedding is our first meeting tomorrow. I didn't expect it to be like this."

"Why don't you just meet before your wedding?"

"Adat Makassar is not like that, let alone this is a matchmaking. And ... everything was sudden. The bride-to-be is hunted down so how to meet?"

"Hhh .., I as a friend and co-worker you can only pray for the best. May you be happy with your mother's chosen woman."

"Yeah .. I hope. Thanks, Don. You go to sleep, you must be tired all day on the way to Makassar."

"It's okay. I still want to talk to you here."

The two chatted late into the night, Doni named her a small bachelorette party that only had the two of them. Doni also teased Reno occasionally about the chanting of ijab qobul tomorrow. Reno admitted that he had not memorized it perfectly. That's why Doni laughed until the sound of his laughter echoed in the night sky.

Deep down, Reno hoped that the woman she would marry tomorrow would be the one she was truly destined to be.