Kilted at a Traditional Navajo Wedding on the Navajo Nation

[Riverkilt]

I was invited to a Navajo coworker's wedding today. Asked in advance if wearing a kilt would be okay. She checked with her groom and both agreed that would be fine. They've often seen me kilted.

Scottish and Navajo cultures have much in common, clan systems, being conquered and told not to speak our language, wear traditional garments, not to worship traditional faiths, raising sheep, and working with wool. The Navajos had the Long Walk, Scots had the Clearances.

The wedding was a Traditional Navajo ceremony held in a hogaan near Shonto, Arizona out between White Mesa and Black Mesa about sixty miles deep on the Rez. Lots of people, great ceremony, lots of food and dancing after. Wedding was performed by the groom's uncle a Traditional Navajo Medicine Man.

The bride had told me her colors were to be maroon and white. So with the idea of supporting her I decided to wear my maroon dress model Freedom Kilt with a maroon, gray, black Native American patterned Pendleton vest.

Fortunately, I checked with my girlfriend and she let me know in no uncertain terms that rather than supporting the bride I would be stealing her thunder in those colors. What does this old bachelor know about weddings?

So, made a quick change and wore my Leatherneck tartan kilt from Kathy Lare, Lochcarron argyle jacket, maroonish necktie to pick up the red stripe in the tartan, Lewis kilt hose, a redish maroonish wraparound garter thingies, cap from Hanna's Hats, and my custom buffalo sporran from Miss April's Carpetbags. Left the black knife at home...was gonna be with friends.

Ceremony was down a long dirt (later mud) road but the storm cleared and there was a full double rainbow, which was interpreted as the bride's late mother and the groom's late father attending, and approving of, the marriage...lotta tears on that one.

Photos were allowed for all but a small portion of the ceremony. Here's a pic of me and another one of me with the newlyweds.





That's not the hogan in the bottom pic, that's the party tent...you can see how much my belly already swelled up from the great food.

Ron