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Yes sirree itıs a chivaree! By DAWN SLADE While not everyoneıs familiar with chivaree, Virginia and Farrell Maurer are quite familiar with the term as theyıve had three chivarees during their 50-year marriage. Chivaree is a term from the past that can be difficult to find in current dictionaries. So for those who arenıt in the know, chivaree is a type of mock serenade that used to occur frequently until about the late 1950s. When a couple was married, their friends and family would properly initiate them into the community with a chivaree. It was a group event that typically took place late at night (after the couple was asleep) and involved lots of noise outside the newlywedsı bedroom window. Pots and pans were banged, firecrackers were ignited, bells and whistles sounded and sometimes shotguns were fired as well. And it was expected that the happy couple would invite the entire noisy gang in for food and drinks. In the days of yore, it was cigars for the men and lemonade or ice tea for the ladies. A local chivaree On June 6, 1953 the Maurers were married at St. Paulıs Lutheran Church in Ogilvie. Two separate chivarees took place following their nuptials. One was given by neighbors and friends and the other was led by their church family. Virginia said she had heard about chivarees prior to her Chivaree ³I remember my mother talking about going to chivarees,² she said. Fifty years later, 40-some friends, family members and former neighbors surrounded the Maurerıs townhome in Milaca and gave them another chivaree theyıre sure to remember. ³They really surprised us,² Virginia said of the June 8 celebration. ³We really had no clue that anyone was going to do anything like that.² Just as chivarees in the past, the Maurerıs were greeted with lots of noise, but this time their friends supplied the goodies and even tables and chairs for the group. Dean Fransen, Janet Johnson, Peg Monroe and Sandy Herr, friends of Virginia, organized the chivaree. Fransen and her husband John were recipients of a chivaree last year for their anniversary. And the group decided to chivaree the Maurers for their 50th. Johnson said it was easy getting it all organized, ³Everybody was real cooperative. Everybody brought noise makers and had a good time.² But some had a difficult time keeping the secret. According to Virginia, her pal Betsy Hill almost spilled the beans. Virginia said Hill confessed later that when she saw the couple earlier in the day she started to say, ³Well, neighbors...² and almost finished with ³Iıll see you tonight.² Where did it come from? The playful and often rowdy event came from the Scottish and Irish settlers and started as a tradition in the United States in the early 1800s. Often the chivaree rebels would disarrange the coupleıs home earlier in the day by removing wood slats from the bed or short-sheeting the bed. They would do anything to disrupt the coupleıs new home environment, such as removing labels from the food cans. Sometimes chivaree members even invited people unknown to the couple as they headed toward the house for the evening surprise. During some chivarees, after the noisy greeting and the food and drinks were consumed, it was expected that the groom would give his new bride a ride uptown in a wheelbarrow. The chivaree has pretty much died out, but what took its place was the coupleıs ³getaway² car. During or before the ceremony, the wedding party manages to ³decorate² the bride and groomıs car by tying cans to the bumper, writing a variety of comments all over the vehicle and filling the car with balloons. Farrell and Virginia enjoyed the revived chivaree their friends arranged and their children and grandchildren who didnıt know what a chivaree was, can now say theyıve actually participated in one!
©Mille Lacs County Times |