Tueng meunar (literally “to fetch away the bride”) is the Achehnese ceremony by which the bride is brought, after marriage, on her first formal visit to the gampong of her parents-in-law. The rite is one of the principal ceremonies of the period immediately following the wedding, and is described in detail by C. Snouck Hurgronje in The Achehnese in his chapter on the early days of married life.
The Invitation
After the wedding, some months — indeed sometimes as much as a year or so — will pass before the family of the bridegroom takes any further notice of the bride. The latter does not make her first visit to her parents-in-law until her husband’s mother comes to “fetch her away” (tueng meunar). The word tueng means “to fetch away,” and meunar is formed from nëu = bayòë (the technical term for “bride,” from dara baròë meaning “the bride”).
The elder woman brings with her a number of female companions from her own gampong and a money present for the young wife. The guests are entertained at the bride’s house at a formal feast with idangs. This visit, however, is not sufficient according to the adat to constitute an invitation. Some time later the request must be repeated by a woman sent by the husband’s mother. The messenger thus addresses the mother of the bride: “The reason why I have directed my footsteps hither to you is in order that I may fetch away this Si Nya’.” The invitation is politely accepted, but a considerable time is allowed to elapse before it is acted upon.
The Procession and the Visit
Finally, after due notice of the visit has been given, the bride repairs to the gampong of her husband, accompanied by a crowd of female relatives and fellow-villagers. She takes with her from six to as many as twenty idangs of sweetmeats, which gift is paid for by the bridegroom’s mother at the fixed rate of one dollar per idang. This return gift is, however, only a polite form, for the bridegroom’s family always makes it their business to send the bride back with at least as much as she has brought.
The woman herself always stays three complete days in the house of her parents-in-law. During this time she is the recipient of constant visits from her new connections, who come to offer presents of sirih and eggs — visits technically known as ji ba ranub (“going to offer sirih”), the sirih being brought in the form of the ranub dōng already described. All these gifts she brings home with her. Her fellow-villagers who form her escort return home on the first day. The husband, although usually present in his native gampong during these days, takes no share of any kind in the festivities.
The Return and Subsequent Visits
On her return journey — technically known as wòë ba’ meunar = “returning from the meunar” — the wife is escorted by a crowd of people from the gampong of her husband, and a procession of her own fellow-villagers comes out to welcome her back. These meunar ceremonies always take place even where both man and wife have been married before, and the same may be said of most adats connected with the first seven days of the marriage. In the case last referred to, however, there is less merry-making, and even though the bride be a young maiden, the circumstance of her husband being of a more advanced age usually imparts a calmer tone to the festivities. After this first visit of the bride to her parents-in-law she goes to see them but seldom; it is only at the two great Mohammedan feasts that the adat requires her to go and make her respectful salutations (seumbak), for which she receives a further present of money.
See Also
Source
The Achehnese, Vol. I, by Dr. C. Snouck Hurgronje, translated by A.W.S. O’Sullivan, indexed by R.J. Wilkinson. Leyden: E.J. Brill, 1906.