National Adult Literacy Database

November 01, 1999

This week, our story comes to us from Quesnel, BC. The author, Laura Dunford, is a very healthy and active senior who is living in a Seniors' residence in Prince George. She was in her mid-fifties when she started schooling again. After completing a Grade 12 equivalency, she took a business course. She wrote this story as part of a project of the Seniors' Writing Circles at the College of New Caledonia, Quesnel Campus.

The Shivaree

by Laura Dunford

The big day had arrived. My oldest sister was getting married. Now this would be a typical wedding in a small community on the prairies during the Great Depression. I think the year was 1930. The wedding took place in our Lutheran Church in the morning. Anyhow, everyone in our home was rushing around getting dressed in our best clothes and the finishing touches were put to the bride's attire. My mother was preparing a noon meal for the families of the bride and groom and a few close friends.

My sister was marrying a young farmer who was in partnership with his father on a farm about three miles from town. In those days a lot of couples never went on real honeymoon away from home, probably for lack of money. They just went to where they would be making their home when the wedding and reception were over that day.

At about 7:00 pm we had to get ready to go the "Shivaree". This was all new to me. I was about 6 years old, and, actually, it was the only one I ever attended. When we got to the farm, we met up with a lot of neighbors and other acquaintances who were armed with pots and pans, and anything else that could make a lot of noise outside. Everyone banged and rattled their goods. After this had gone on for a while, the bride and groom appeared at the door to welcome us all in. Coffee was put on to boil in a large pot on the old country kitchen stove. Sandwiches, cakes, and cookies were brought along by the gang to be served along with other goodies that were in the home. It was truly an old fashioned gathering, very simple indeed.

My sister had her piano moved to the farm, so after a while we gathered around the piano to sing old folk songs, etc. Most homes had these music books which are treasured memories now.

I don't know when this "Shivaree" practice started, but I think it soon died out because I can't recall many after that. By the mid 1930's church halls or community halls were used for the receptions. Often included was a free dance for anyone in the community. No formal invitations were needed. This all goes back a long way, but us seniors have many treasured memories of the way things were then at weddings and the traditions involved.

[This story was taken with permission, from a collection of stories by members of Seniors' Writing Circles and Fundamental Level Students, College of New Caledonia, Prince George, BC. The book is entitled Writers, young and old, share experiences. See page 18.]