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Marriage in Algeria: The wedding (Part two)

Marriage in Algeria (Part 1)

Every step of the ceremonial of marriage in Algeria is prepared with meticulous respect of the rituals and traditions that are centuries old and that constitute a great richness and pride for the country. Preparations for the wedding start right after the engagement. The long discussions between the two newly united families allow them to decide on the tasks each of them will be responsible of. Traditionally, the more money is spent and gifts given during the wedding, the prouder are the families.

The two families can decide on either having two ceremonies, each of them organizes one; or they share the responsibilities of organizing one single big ceremony. Before the big day, the groom buys gifts for his bride and her mother to show respect for them and their family.

Most preparations evolve around the bride and her beauty: the hamam, the henna and the traditional outfit…

On the day of the wedding, the bride goes in the morning to the “hammam”, the Turkish bath, with the closest women of her family. This ritual symbolizes purity and prosperity. The women help her bath while they are singing for her.

After that, the bride goes to her parents’ house, is dressed in a green traditional outfit ready for her hands and feet are decorated with Henna. The, she goes to the hairdresser with women from her family.

Traditional Algerian dress takes a lot of time to be prepared as they are hand-made and hold a lot of broidery. Usually, seven different dresses are prepared, including the one that represents the region from which the bride’s family is. Every dress is accompanied with heavy jewelry that the parents buy some of it and borrow the rest.

Once in the wedding room, she sits like a queen in her big comfortable chair next to her groom. The families and the guests dance for them to the rhythm of the live music. The most common music used in wedding in Algeria is the popular “Chaabi” or Rai.

Marriage in Algeria (Part 1)

Tags:

marriage, wedding, traditional, henna, chaabi, rai, music

 



User Comments & Reviews: 7 Comment(s)

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Lotfi - 2011-04-12 13:05:43

well marriage in algeria is a very intresting event and it's a real fantacy , song and music folk and traditional food and traditions habits and so many intresting things and it's a very sacred event if you didn't have been present you lost a part of your life Greetings Lotfi from algeria fawri@live/fr

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Bonie - 2011-03-18 13:14:37

Hi there, I am married to an Algerian, and went to Algeria for a month and every day there were weddings, it is a very big thing in Algeria, and it is lovely to see all the effort that the families go to, I went to a wedding with just the women, and it was a really different experienc, the music was very over powering, and the bride had many beautiful dress, I felt a bit odd as i was the only foreigner there my husbands sister came with me, I really love my Algerian family and cant wait to go and see them again!!
Hi Annmarie.I would very much like to keep in contact with u if it is possible,coz im europian and i have an algerian boyfriend.He wants me to marrie him but i have some fears about it.I love him so much but we r so different in traditions ,religion and others.If i don't bother u can u give me some advice.It would be very greatfull if u could answer some questions as u r already married so have some experiance about it.U know its also big question where to live after marriage.Beforehand thanx a lot.

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omarme - 2011-02-26 21:44:13

simple

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