Happily married: Mexico mayor weds alligator in a colourful ceremony

Giving a modern twist to Disney's classic tale of "Beauty and the Beast", a man in Mexico's small town has married an alligator. Victor Hugo Sosa, mayor of the town San Pedro Huamelula walked down the aisle with his seven-year-old 'beautiful' alligator bride, dressed in white, and completed all the ceremonies.

Sosa seemed truly in love as he obliged more than once during the wedding festivities to bend down and seal a kiss on the alligator's snout.

While the wedding may seem bizarre to many, it is an age-old tradition in the town which dates back centuries to pre-Hispanic times.

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Among Oaxaca state's Chontal and Huave indigenous communities, the ritual is like a prayer to the gods, pleading for nature's bounty.

As quoted by media reports, Sosa said during the ritual: "I accept responsibility because we love each other. That is what is important. You can't have a marriage without love... I yield to marriage with the princess girl."

Despite being situated in Mexico's poor south region, Oaxaca has maintained its rich indigenous culture, through the years.

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The ritual, which previously had indigenous flavour only, has taken a modern spin by mixing Catholic spirituality as well.

The wedding involved dressing the alligator in a white wedding dress and embellishing it with colourful garments and accessories.

Locals carried the reptile, whose mouth had been shut seal, through the streets ofSan Pedro Huamelula, while men waved their hats and trumpets played before the ceremony.

The seven-year-old alligator is referred to as little princess - a deity representing Mother Earth and her marriage to the local leader symbolises joining the union of humans with the divine.

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The mayor even danced with his bride to the sounds of traditional music after the event.

"We are happy because we celebrate the union of two cultures. People are content," Sosa told the news agency AFP.

"It gives me so much happiness and makes me proud of my roots," said Elia Edith Aguilar, known as the godmother who organised the wedding. "It's a very beautiful tradition," she added with a smile.

The residents who attended the colourful ceremony danced to traditional music and devoured the delicious food.

(With inputs from agencies)

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