Beach wedding for Bajau couples in time of Valentine's day

• Source:http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cagayan-de-oro/feature/2016/02/13/beach-wedding-bajau-couples-time-valentines-day-457152
• Sunday, February 14, 2016

By Pamela Jay F. Orias

AFTER more than five years of living together out of marriage, couple Sorayma and Arman Aralmani finally tied the knot together with 15 other Bajau couples in a mass wedding celebrated by an Imam at a beach resort in Barangay Bayabas, Cagayan de Oro City.

The Aralmani couple who lives at Saint John in Barangay Puntod has been helped by the city government to make their union official.

Sorayma, 25, shared how hard it was for her to live with a man whom she hardly knew since Sorayma and Arman went through an ‘arrange union.’

"Sa sulod sa walo ka bulan, wala gyud ko nahigugma ana niya, hangtud nakita nako unsa siya makapasalig sa tanang trabahoon ug unsa iyang pagmahal sa among unang anak didto na dayon ko naka-feel ug gugma (Within eight months, I never felt love for him not until I saw how he stood for all the work and showed love to our first born, that’s the time I felt love to him)," Sorayma said in an interview.

Sorayma, close to tears, shared how thankful she was as the City Government shouldered the expenses to make their wedding possible.

She had since been dreaming of their wedding day, which for her makes their union strong and unbreakable.

"Lahi ra man kung kasal gyud mo, kay kung wala gani, murag sama ra mo sa mga hayop. Ug kung wala moy kasal, ang inyong anak sama ra pud sa hayop (It is just so different when you’re married because if you’re not, you’re like animals. And if you’re not married, your children would just be like animals)," Sorayma said.

"Daku gyud among pasalamat, nga bisan kami pobre, unya ubos pa gyud ang pagtan-aw sa amo sa mga tao kay kami Bajau, gipahalagahan gihapon mi nila (I am very much thankful that despite our poverty, and how the people look down at us because we are Bajau, they (government) give us importance)," she added.

Officiated by an Imam, the wedding rites started with the Bajau traditional dance performed by both men and women followed by the unique wedding ritual.

During the ceremony, the man, assisted by the Imam, searched for his pair among the women in the line.

Once the man found his pair, he would then place his thumb in her forehead to signify 'belongingness' or 'oneness' of the couple.

After that, they shared their 'bangkete sa kasal' (wedding banquet) prepared by the city government together with the sponsors.

Dr. Merle Adaza of the City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) said it is the first time in the history of Cagayan de Oro.

"Karon pa gyud na sa history sa syudad na gihatag bili ang mga Bajau. Karun ra pud na hatagan sila ug luna o lugar na matawag nila ug ila (This is first in the history of the city that it gives importance to the Bajau. This is also the first they are given space or area they can call theirs)," Adaza said.

Adaza was referring to the coming relocation wherein about 500 Bajau individuals from Barangay Puntod will be transferred to their new abode in Barangay Bayabas.

"This symbolizes new beginning, new hope, a new start for them," Adaza added.