18 June 2013

A Moroccan Wedding Celebration:
Day 3

It is the morning after the night before and we are all shattered after chatting and eating well into the night. We are glad to hear that there is nothing really happening regarding the wedding celebrations till this evening. A morning walk is in order to blow off the cobwebs - despite the 38 degree heat! We meander our way along the Draa river bed and briefly visit an old kasbah, Ksar Bounou, before deciding that perhaps this walk isn't such a good idea after all due to the intense heat of the African sun. Still, we have at least managed to walk some of that couscous off! But of course it's now lunchtime, so time to undo all that good work.


A lazy day ensues - sleeping, lazing by the pool, chatting with friends....until the sudden unannounced arrival of the newly married couple at the hotel. Finally we can see Tine's face - she is now unveiled. Her face bears the henna from her traditional party a few days earlier, as do her hands and feet. She is now dressed in a white lacy costume with a shawl slung around her shoulders and is once again adorned with the headdress and traditional Berber jewellery from yesterday. She tells me the headdress weighs about 5 kilos! Now I can see her face - she is beaming. Beside her is her husband, Bobo, looking very proud of his wife and far more relaxed understandably than he was yesterday! After a brief chat with everyone, they leave the hotel for a short respite before they return to the village for tonight's celebrations. All I know at this point is that tonight we will see Tine's wedding dresses - I am looking forward to that.




It is almost 11 pm when we arrive back in the village and are ushered into the main caidal tent where a 'throne' has been assembled to seat the newly married couple and their guests for the 'official' wedding photos. Next to the throne is the wedding chair on which Tine has been ceremoniously paraded around the tent, carried by the men of the family. And here she is now...entering the tent with her husband, dressed in the most stunning orange and gold dress with a gold cummerband, tiara sparkling on her head as it catches the light. She looks very regal - and much older than her 24 years. The train of her dress is adjusted so that all can see the beautiful colours and embroidery within. What a stunning bride! Bobo has chosen to keep it simple, wearing a linen shirt and trousers - As is the case in all weddings, he mustn't upstage the bride!




There ensues a series of photographs with members of both families and close friends of the couple. It is a special occasion for the immediate family, the rest of us are onlookers, sitting on the rugs admiring the spectacle. As suddenly as they appeared in the tent the couple have vanished - only to reappear moments later, Tine now wearing another beautiful dress, this time it is blue and cerise. After the official photos have been taken, the happy couple cannot help but share a private joke - a moment of light relief from the intensity of focus on them.



There follows an exchanging of rings and the symbolic tasting of dates and milk - a symbol of longevity, happiness, fertility and love in marriage. As relatives dance around the newly-weds, we head off to the house that has become our very own 'restaurant' and promptly a delicious plate of fried chicken is produced to fill our empty stomachs. We can only muster enough energy afterwards to lie back on the floor and observe the night sky with its galaxy of twinkling stars. How wonderful is this moment!

2 comments:

  1. Wow Kathy, you certainly need plenty of stamina to survive these celebrations. It must have been such an honour to be invited. the bride is stunning & they both look so very happy together.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Linda. Yes, it was such a privilege to be invited to the wedding and also to be looked after so well by everyone there. We loved it.

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