It began, as legend says, with a wedding between two rival tribes.
Two indigenous groups, the Chontales and the Huaves, have been fighting each other for longer than anyone could remember.
But the war ended when a prince from the Chontales married a princess of the Huaves after they fell in love.
Fast forward to modern day and the legend has become a bizarre ritual between a man and a crocodile, meant to symbolize the Huaves people.
In the Mexican fishing town of San Pedro Huamelula, the mayor marries a crocodile. Now it’s not to ensure peace but to bring riches to fishermen hoping for a season of good fishing for fish, shrimp and other seafood.
Last week, Mayor Victor Aguilar in a ceremony involving festivities, music and a bridal march married a crocodile dressed in wedding dress.
St. Peter, the town’s patron saint, apparently demands an annual wedding. It’s a ritual that has been documented back to 1789.
Locals consider the crocodile to be a princess and believe that the nuptials will bring peace and prosperity to the community.
Photo credit: @Noticiasnet.Mx, Mario Jimenez Leyva
