Wookiee Courtship and Marriage Proposals
Wookiee courtship is an informal affair, with a great many superstitions and colloquial practices. Most involve Wookiees seeking out the object of their affections, searching for some sign of mutual interest, then contacting the family of their intended for a marriage arrangement. Not coincidentally, this is a further incentive for a Wookiee to select a career; a Wookiee family rarely give its permission for a bretrothal unless both husband and wife are gainfully employed. More to the point, Wookiees without a regular source of income are socially and economically discouraged from bearing children.
When a male Wookiee is ready to propose marriage, he descends to the lower level of the forest. This is where the quillarats live. They can be over a half-meter in height, and are covered with needle-sharp quills that they can hurl with great accuracy. The male will capture it using only his bare hands and kill it without using a weapon. He then presents it to his intended bride. If she accepts the proposal, she will bite into the creature's soft belly.
Since there are no quillarats on Naboo, I had to consult a bioengineer to help me when I made my formal proposal to JasminFlower.
Wookiee Weddings
Wookiee weddings are similar to plays. The couple act out the ritual; there is no one who officiates. All of the Wookiees in attendence understand the meaning of the ceremony. When other species are in attendance, it has become a common practice to have a close friend of the couple "narrate" the ritual so that everyone present understands what is going on.
Below is the script of my wedding to JasminFlower, as narrated by our friend Monsoon:
Monsoon: Moya' and JasminFlower have asked me to explain the ceremony as they perform it. It is much like a play.
Monsoon: Notice that they wear only their fur. This is to symbolize that they will be honest with each other and that nothing will be "hidden" in their marriage.
Monsoon: And now, the Wookiee wedding ceremony.
Monsoon: Two Wookiees meet in the forest. They look each other over. She challenges him.
[JasminFlower growled and snarled at me]
Monsoon: He smiles.
[I smiled at her]
Monsoon: She tests him.
[we fought briefly]
Monsoon: At first he plays along. But eventually, he submits and surrenders his heart to her.
[I knelt and surrendered my heart to her]
Monsoon: She embraces him signaling that she will accept his affection.
Monsoon: Once the two Wookiees fall in love and decide to marry, they exchange a series of ritual gifts.
Monsoon: First they exchange food and drink. With this, they promise to provide for each other.
[we exchanged jaar and cookiees, each eating and drinking what the other gave them]
Monsoon: Next, they exchange special bowcasters that they have made for each other. This is a symbol of trust and a promise to protect each other.
[we will exchanged bowcasters, and pledged to stand with each other]
Monsoon: Finally, they exchange saplings of our mighty Wroshyr trees. This represents their intentions to build a home together.
[we will exchanged trees]
Monsoon: Once the gifts have been exchanged, the Wookiees groom each other, showing that they will cherish and care for their partner.
Monsoon: Then, as with many species, the ceremony is finalized with a kiss and the Wookiees are married.
[we kissed]