Tying the knot after cruising the Citarik on a raft<\/p>\n
Text and photos by Mulkan Salmona<\/p>\n
SUKABUMI, West Java (JP): Rafters Lody Karua and Amalia Yunita
\ncelebrated their wedding in a different way -- cruising along the
\nCitarik River in Sukabumi on a rafting boat.<\/p>\n
They tied the knot last Sunday on a yellow rubber boat, which
\nbobbed on the densely green banks of the Citarik River in
\nCikidang village.<\/p>\n
Lody, 39, in a light brown suit sat in the boat, holding onto
\ntwo oars. The bride, Amalia, 29, wearing a white bridal gown and
\na multicolored tiara on her head, sat up in front.<\/p>\n
The boat, decked in flowers and ribbons, moved slowly to the
\nceremonial place, about 50 meters away. The audience at Cikidang,
\nwho had been waiting since the morning, applauded and whistled at
\nthe approaching couple.<\/p>\n
Lody only had to row a few times to bring the wedding boat to
\nthe place of ceremony. There, they were met by screaming visitors
\nwho were mostly young outdoor enthusiasts, such as mountain
\nclimbers, rafters, cave explorers and hang gliding enthusiasts.<\/p>\n
The couple were aided ashore by several committee members of
\nthe wedding. When they stepped on land, they rearranged their
\nwedding attire, which got crumpled on the trip. They then stepped
\nslowly through the festive wedding gate covered with jasmine
\nflowers, accompanied by 10 oar-wielding escorts, handsome marines
\nin yellow attire. The couple proceeded to the place of ceremony,
\nat an approximate distance of 10 meters.<\/p>\n
When they were on the same level of the escorts, the marines
\npositioned their oars with a neat and swift motion as a shield
\nabove the wedding couple. When the couple passed the escort line,
\nthe marines fell in behind to accompany them to the place of
\nceremony.<\/p>\n
There the couple stood facing each other, encircled by the
\nescorts, who kept their oars over the couple's heads. They were
\npresented with a traditional oar, ornately carved, by a member of
\nthe escorting line. Tightly holding onto this traditional paddle,
\nthey exchanged their wedding vows. The groom presented the bride
\nwith a bouquet after the ceremony, after which he held and kissed
\nher. The act carried the approval of the guests, who expressed it
\nwith a choir of shrieks and howls.<\/p>\n
\"Let it last, Lody,\" said a friend of the couple in a teasing
\ntone.<\/p>\n
After the ceremony, known as Dayung Pora, the couple stepped
\nonto a podium to welcome congratulations from the guests. This
\nwas followed with a regale specially prepared for the occasion.<\/p>\n
At around 1 p.m., guests who would join in a rafting spree
\nwere urged to change their clothes for more suitable attire. It
\ndid not take long before the first boats floated down the Citarik
\nstream and assembled with other dinghies at the edge of the
\nrapids.<\/p>\n
The newly wedded couple were accompanied right to the end by
\ntheir marine friends, who floated and negotiated the wild rapids
\nwith them as they usually did together. They passed all of them
\nwithout any difficulty. From the beginning of the rapids, through
\nthe Jumping Jack Flash, long rapids, the pyramid and right
\nthrough the last rapids, they sailed through easily until the
\nfinish at Cikadu village, also in Sukabumi.<\/p>\n
Rafting guests, however, experienced many pitfalls. Some
\nkeeled over, others were thrown out from their rubber boats. But
\nthey all had a good time. They did not complain, despite the
\nrocky tumbles in the river. Most of the participants arriving at
\nthe finish, around 5 p.m., climbed straight ashore and proceeded
\nto the Queen restaurant by the only means of transportation in
\nthe village. Together with a festive gathering, a press
\nconference was held at the restaurant.<\/p>\n
Lody Karua and Amalia Yunita met several years ago on the Alas
\nriver in Aceh, where they were on a rafting expedition with
\nfriends. Their courtship with the rapids of the Alas stream
\nbrought them together in love as well.<\/p>\n
And now, surrounded by nature's green environment, accompanied
\nby the gushing sound of the Citarik River, and witnessed by
\nthousands of nature lovers, they pledged to be united forever,
\nfor better and for worse.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tying-the-knot-after-cruising-the-citarik-on-a-raft-1447899208",
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