The mayor of a small Mexican town in the state of Oaxaca married a crocodile in a ceremony dating back centuries in the hope of bringing good fortune to his fishing community.
The Mayor of San Pedro Huamelula, Víctor Hugo Sosa, leaned in to kiss the reptile more than once as the animal’s snout was tied during the jubilant ceremony where trumpets and drums were played.
The 7-year-old crocodile, named “ Little Princess”, is seen as a deity who represents nature. Her marriage to a local leader symbolizes the connection of humans with the divine.
The crocodile was carried by the locals through the streets of the town while the men fanned it with their hats.
The colorful ceremony is part of a ritual that probably dates back centuries to pre-Hispanic times in the Chontal and Huave indigenous communities of the state of Oaxaca. The fishing village is part of Oaxaca on the Pacific coast.