Ambushed at the Reception

A divorced dad attended the wedding of a cousin's daughter, and almost ended up in an arranged marriage.

An aunt approached, tapped me on the shoulder, and asked me to join the family in a side room. When I entered, the men patted me on the shoulders and the women proceeded to tell me that the lady I had been seated next to had decided that I would be an acceptable husband for her! I was then told they would make all the wedding arrangements as quickly as possible.

Here's part of the response from Thursday's Dear Abby column:

At first, I thought you and your family came from some other culture. Then I called you, just to make sure, and learned that you are third-generation American. It served to remind me that people need to be careful how hard they shake the family tree because it can cause the nuts to fall out. [Link]

Grafting the Family Tree

The Shirakis of Japan chose an unusual way to save the family name from extinction several centuries ago.

This particular family had no children, yet it was still very important to them to carry on the name of Shiraki.

So they did something somewhat unorthodox, at the time. Since they had no children, they arranged for a marriage between a second family with only a daughter and a third family with a second-born son.

In return for arranging this marriage, the families of the young couple agreed to take on and perpetuate the priests' family name of Shiraki. [Link]

All They Need is Love ... and Occasionally a Defibrillator

The marriage of Nor Che Musa to wife Hukuntoh is the sort of event that causes genealogy software to issue dire warnings. The Malaysian groom is 33, his bride 104.

Nor Che Musa decided to marry Hukuntoh because he wanted to take care of her.

"The fate has been arranged by God, and I do not worry about people making fun of our marriage," he said.

Hukuntoh has been married for 21 times but has no children. [Link, via Neatorama]

[tagged: genealogy, family tree, ancestry]

Experience Not Preferred

From Inside Bay Area, posted Jan. 1, 2006:

When job interviews can become an intimate business

[by Sumana Harihareswara]

JOB INTERVIEWS are like dates. Both sides try to put on their most impressive facades to woo each other, while keeping enthusiasm within the bounds of propriety.

In fact, in the Indian tradition of arranged marriages, dates are almost exactly like job interviews:

"As you can see from my genealogy and astrological charts, which I've enclosed, I think I would be a terrific candidate to be your wife."

"I've read them, thanks. And I see from your resume that you have absolutely no experience, which is excellent."

[snip]

[Read the whole story]

tags: genealogy, family history, family tree