Wedding in my family

The wedding of one of the 19 year old twin girls in my family, came as a surprise to me when the headmaster at Olof Palme (the school where i teach), asked me if i was looking forward to the party. When i asked my family, they said that the exact date of the marriage was not yet set, so they didnt want me to get my hopes up. But then on the 9th of February, the father of the groome came to our house, and they set the date for the 11th and 12th of February. Here a wedding can last up till four whole days.

On tuesday there was chaos, people everywhere, bringing in food and drinks, and cookies of all sorts. The wedding would take place in a big tent put up in my family`s "backyard".

Fatima, the bride to be, was sent off to her uncle, to relax and prepare for the big day. Women decorated her hands and feet, with beautiful henna, and braded her hair.

On wednesday i went off to school as usual. Normal day for me until i came home and saw the area where my house is, just packed with people. It was everyone from my extended family, as well as any friend.

At 6 o´clock, the family of Mohamed (the groome) also started to show up, and by 7 o´clock, it was full. Everyone gattered in and around the tent, and the wedding party could begin. There was live music, and everyone that wanted could get up in the middle and dance.

The children were running around playing, the men sitting in groups smoking cigarettes or "maneisja" witch is the arabic tobacco, smoked in special pipes. The women in the tent, passing around perfumes, and making loud noise by rolling and vibrating their tounges. Even cars that drove by were hunking their horns, and blinking their lights. Nothing like the weddings at home, and this is what makes it so good.

After a couple of hours the people started to thin out. It was only close family and friends by 10 o´clock in the evening. We all separeted into the tent and house, boys and men in one and women and girls in the other. We stayed like this till maybe 4 o´clock in the morning, before people went home. The guests that came from other camps, were placed together with the family, cause a trip home would take hours in the pitch black night.

In the morning and afternoon of thursday, nothing much happened. People were gattered again, making tea in the tent, and food in the kitchen. The special lunch prepared for us, consisted of camelmeat and couscous. This dish is the most usual for weddings, and other special occasions, and was the only dish served throughout the four days of the wedding

At 4 o´clock a goat was killed, to be eaten on the day the newlyweds would move into their new house. I was not there to witness it, since this was a job for the men in the family.

I was taken to a small room in the house next door, where i found Fatima the bride, laying on the floor with a black melhefa covering her. Around her were all her closest friends. She got up to greet me as i entered the room, and proudly showed me her beautiful white melhefa and head garmin. She had only arrived from her uncle an hour before. Yes, you are probably wondering, the bride and groome do not take part in the festivities on the first day of the wedding.

At 8 o`clock, Mohamed the groome, had also arrived and was sitting in the tent surrounded by his friends. Fatima was brought in along with her friends, and sat down on the opposite side of the tent. After an hour, Mohamed and Fatima finally got together, and was seated next to eachother in the middle. The party, dancing, music kept going till after 1 o´clock and the newlyweds could after all these days apart, resign into their new house. It is tradition that the man moves to the womens family, so luckily for me, i did not loose my sister and roommate, she just moved 2 tents down the road.

On friday it was only my family, and some close friends of the newlyweds left, we all helped them putting together some furniture, and making their future home more inviting.

I feel lucky to be a part of this, especially since it was within my family. I think knowing the couple personally ment alot. It was a special experience i will always remember.