Marriages in Yemen
Marriages in Yemen
In a strict conservative Yemeni society bride and groom are
selected by their respective families. Mother usually selects a girl after
consultation with the husband and other male members of the family. Then they
consult their son for the wedding.
Father and son take proposal to the girl's family and
discuss the matter. Father of the girl after holding discussions with the
family accepts the proposal and day is fixed for the engagement. Usually the
date selected is Thursday or Friday. The groom's family goes to the house of
the girl with gifts, raisins and ring. Then the date for the wedding and Maher
amount is discussed.
The Maher amount is spend on jewelry and clothes for the
bride. It also includes other valuable things which remain girls' property even
after marriage.
The Wedding
The wedding usually lasts for three days starting from
Wednesday when the marriage contract is signed in the presence of Qazi.A senior
official to register marriage
The bridegroom throws raisins on the carpet. All the friends
and relatives try to pick up maximum raisins signaling happy future for the
couple. People also give money to the couple as gift. The most significant part
of the wedding is Laylat az-Zaffa which is the lavish public feast where guests
and relatives come for sumptuous meal.
Bridegroom and his relatives offer Friday prayers before the
feast. All this is accompanied by singing and dancing. The relatives wish the
couple with Allah's blessing for their happy married life.
Dress
The bride wears traditonal wedding dress which is a long
garment with beautiful and intricate designs on it or it may even be a modern
outfit.Women wear long elegant dresses with scarves and an outer covering.
Cuisine
Seafood, haradha which is a minced meat and pepper dish,
Marag Lahm which is meat soup, Hanid (lamb meat cooked in special oven with
lots of spices kabsa which is a rice with lamb meat.
Conclusion of The Wedding Ceremony
The bride and bridegroom leave with huge number of friends
who cheer with beating of drums and singing traditional songs on the way .They
take blessings of the elders and rejoice all the way to their destination.
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