المستخلص: |
Wedding preparations start with henna ceremonies. The bride sits in the courtyard of her home in the middle of a circle of women who take turns applying Henna to her hands. The bride’s face is covered with a white veil, and guests present her with gifts in a process that conveys signs. The gifts are passed over the bride’s head several times in a circular motion, then the bride’s mother throws handfuls of henna and Peganum harmala into the air to avert the evil eye and ward off any spells. After the bride goes to her room, the singing and dancing commence. Just before the end of the party, the bride returns to the courtyard, where a band awaits her. Wearing a white or green gown, she sits and women stand around her to hide her from the view of the guests. On the night of the wedding, the bride sits on a decorated gold tray; she wears the family crown, which is covered in a green cloth, and her chest is covered in jewellery. She dances around with the crown on her head before sitting down in the middle of a circle of women.
|