Wedding Part 1

"Part I," you ask. Yes, there are multiple parts to this story, and you're really only getting what I managed to pick up in a loud, crowded room with very basic Tashlheit skills. . . The second part will unfold tonight . . . And I have a feeling that both parts will differ from the nice description available at the link above.

Last night I attended the first night of my first Moroccan wedding. It was pretty spectacular. The town's women, dressed in some of the most gorgeous gowns I have ever seen, occupied the grand lobby of the kasbah hotel. One group of women sat in the center of the room and played drums, large and small. A second group of women rose to sing and dance in a circle. It was a sort of hand-clapping, shoulder-raising, hip-shaking dance. The movements were small, but the effect was grand as they moved slowly around the circle. The lighting was very poor but this should provide you with an idea of what was happening:



"Aren't there men in your town," you ask. Well, yes, of course, but they had been invited to attend the wedding during the day, and the few that were in attendance at night sat in another room eating dinner.

After some dancing (I joined in after much prodding from Rbia, my older host sister) the women were separated into smaller rooms with tables and given communal plates of chicken with tomatoes and onions and beef with prunes. We also drank Fanta. (I am nurturing a serious sugar addiction.) At the end of the meal, I noticed that I was the only who ate all of my food. Earlier I had noticed that my host sister, Jmeia, had served me less than the other guests, but I thought that was because I "eat in the time of a chicken". I was sooooooo wrong! The women were the ones who ate like chickens! And then they packed up the meat in plastic bags and put them in their purses. Whoa! That was not what I was expecting. I thought it had something to with not wasting food, which is a big deal here and deserves an entire post of its own. When Jmeia and I arrived home and she gave the meat to her mother and sister (who had not joined in the festivities) it all made sense.

Maybe now you're wondering, "Why haven't you mentioned the bride and groom?" Well, dear, reader, they weren't there. After dinner all the women gathered outside in the hotel's courtyard and waited for the "asli". Soon I saw a group of people approaching the courtyard with a figure in shrouded in a white blanket. It was the groom! And, no he wasn't wearing anything under that blanket (or so I was told). A man guided the figure to the center of the courtyard and had him kneel before a small table of burning incense and basil, and some other things I couldn't see or identify.

An announcer-type man placed a bright red basket on the groom's head, and people started lining up to give the groom gifts. The announcer-type man would announce the gift as well as the name and giver's relationship to the groom. Then he would place the gift (usually cash) into the basket. Large comforters, picture frames and other items that might have caused the groom discomfort were placed at his side. It was probably the best way to be introduced to the entire community at once. Seeing them be so generous en masse was really quite beautiful and overwhelming.

Tonight it's the bride's turn to be the center of attention. I've gathered that she will be lifted up on a chair, which is appealing for many reasons, none of which I can go into here. I will try to write some tomorrow, but as I will be traveling for the next three weeks straight that may be difficult. Obviously, ask me any questions you have! I'm sure I've left out a million things.