Traditions of Marriage

In Morocco: Preceding the Wedding with Henna

In some parts of Morocco, tradition requires that five days before the wedding, the bride has a ceremonial bath, then is painted with henna swirls on hands and feet, and adorned with makeup and jewels by other women.

For centuries, elaborate henna has been applied to Moroccan brides. The night before the wedding, the bride and other women gather together for the henna ritual. The bride receives the most elaborate designs, while the other women are often patterned with lesser designs, covering only small portions of the body. Within the bride’s henna design is often found the name of the groom. Further, a bride is not expected to perform any housework until her henna has faded.

The wedding henna ritual has a deeper purpose than mere aesthetic beauty. During the evening of the henna party, the older, married women share the secrets of marriage with the bride-to-be. Moroccan women continue the tradition to this day. However, there are some women in Morocco who refuse to wear henna in an effort to move in a more “modern” direction. This is not to say that women with henna are not “modern,” but rather demonstrating the various views of henna within the Moroccan context.

Before becoming guardian of her hearth, the Moroccan bride circles her marriage home three times.

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