Photo by Ace Alegre / Bulatlat
Bulatlat.com

No, this is not a baptism. The newlywed couple, caught by Bulatlat’s camera in Currimao, Ilocos Norte (464 kms north of Manila), have their heads washed by relatives with vinegar and rice straw. It is a traditional Ilocano marriage ritual believed to bring good health to newlyweds. The tradition is still alive in most of the Ilocos region. But it is slowly disappearing with the inroads of “modern” culture.

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