According to a strange tradition in the Turkish town of Demerchi in the western province of Manisa, relatives and friends of the groom must attend wedding ceremonies so as not to expose themselves to humiliating punishments.
During the wedding ceremony, relatives of the bride, dancing and singing, visit relatives and friends of the bride and groom and invite them abroad to participate in the celebrations, and to give everyone a gift, to avoid sanctions.
"This tradition goes back several centuries," said local resident Eradal Shali. "If the groom's relatives and friends ignore the wedding, they are punished."
Among the punishments are thrown in water in a small basin in the middle of the town, forcing the punisher to ride the donkey in reverse, or making the retreating run barefoot in the village square.
According to the newspaper "Sabah" Demerishi Mayor Salami Seljuk explained that the area is far from the large urban centers, allowing people to protect their heritage.
"The relatives who fail to bring presents are subjected to those punishments, but no one gets angry and people have fun during the wedding."
