NativeUK Logo NATIVEUK.COM LESSONS
July 28th • Ancient Rituals

Galičnik Wedding Festival

High in the mountains of Macedonia, a 2-day wedding festival takes place that looks like something from a fantasy movie. Couples from around the world compete to be the chosen pair who get married using ancient, complex rituals involving traditional costumes, horse riding, and rhythmic drums. Today, we debate the role of tradition in marriage, the beauty of complex rituals, and how small villages keep their history alive.

A traditional wedding ceremony in the mountains

Speaking Discussion

  • Would you prefer a 2-day festival with horse riding and ancient rituals, or a simple, modern wedding in a city hotel?
  • Why do we feel the need to perform rituals (like exchanging rings or throwing flowers) for major life events?
  • How does a small, isolated mountain village manage to keep its culture alive for hundreds of years while the rest of the world changes?
  • Is it important for young couples today to follow the marriage traditions of their grandparents? Why or why not?
  • What is the most bizarre or interesting wedding ritual you have ever seen in your own country or during your travels?
  • If you were getting married, what one modern tradition would you completely delete from the ceremony?

Activity 1: The Ritual Inventor

The Task: You are a Cultural Anthropologist. You want to create a brand-new wedding ritual for the 21st century that represents technology or global connectivity.

Explain your new ritual. What do the couple have to do?

Activity 2: Rapid Fire Marriage

Complete the sentence and justify it in 20 seconds.

  • "The secret to a long-lasting relationship is..."
  • "A wedding is for the family, not the couple, because..."
  • "Ancient traditions make me feel..."