| In
the olden days special rituals made engagements and marriage
very unique experiences. |
| When
a young man entertained a love interest for a girl, he could
propose directly or—if he feared a refusal—he
would enlist the help of a friend. |
| If
the girl was agreeable, generally she would consider his proposal,
which in essence meant getting background information about
her suitor and his family. |
| Her
answer would usually take a few days. In the meantime, the
youth would walk back and forth in front of her house so she
might notice him; and if they happened to meet somewhere by
chance, he might try to wink at her. |
| After
15 or 20 days, if the answer to his proposal was affirmative,
the girl would have a go-between tell him she agreed to the
relationship. However, she would point out that she was still
too young and might not be able to obtain her parents’
consent. |
| At
this stage, the boy and girl would start meeting secretly.
They would agree to get together at a girlfriends’ home
or they would exchange messages so they could become better
acquainted. |
| If
the couple got along, the girl would then ask the young man
to formalize the relationship by calling on her parents. |
| The
relationship now became a real commitment, and those who had
no serious intentions would break it off at this point. |
| For
a young man to be considered mature for a serious relationship,
he had to be at least 20 years old and have finished his military
service. |
