Saed News: Tunisia is known as one of the Arab countries with strange customs and traditions. One of these strange customs is the high cost of wedding ceremonies.
Family, as the first social unit, is one of the essential pillars of every society. Therefore, the social and cultural phenomenon of marriage, as the foundational step in family formation, holds great significance. This importance is due to the cultural, religious, and ethnic backing that has roots in the traditions of different communities. From this perspective, marriage is a very widespread social institution, and like other aspects of social life, there are significant differences in family and marriage patterns across various cultures. Different communities have their own customs, rituals, and traditions. In traditional and rural societies, due to their distance from modern life and urbanization, the importance of holding these customs and rituals is greater than in urban societies. Moreover, by studying the traditions of various communities, one can observe both commonalities and differences in their practices. Tunisia, as an Arab-African country of Berber descent, with its Muslim people, shares specific traditions that are both unique and similar to those of other peoples. Each city has its own customs and traditions, and the vast array of these traditions is a subject of interest and consideration.
Once the families of the groom and bride decide to proceed with the marriage and the couple gets engaged, preparations for the wedding ceremony begin. During the engagement period, the groom can visit the bride with his parents, and if one of his parents is absent, another elder from the family takes their place. The bride's family begins preparing the dowry, while the groom's family makes initial arrangements. Sometimes, families that have daughters start completing the dowry from the time their daughters are young. In Tunisia, the bride's family must prepare all the household items for the new home. The groom's family is responsible for arranging the wedding, buying gold, gifts for the bride, and the engagement ring. In some cities, the groom must also purchase the bedding for the new house.
Ugly Dress
Two months before the wedding, Tunisian brides must wear the ugliest and worst clothes, intentionally appearing unkempt, avoiding wearing any fancy or delicate clothing. This tradition, called "Lam Al-Sel," ensures that on the wedding night, the bride astonishes everyone with her beauty. In some cities in Tunisia, besides wearing the worst clothes, the bride is also not allowed to leave her home. On the day of the "Henna" celebration, the bride, accompanied by her friends, must go to a pre-decorated olive tree and dance around it together. This is one of the most important traditions in Tunisia.
Day 1: The women of the bride's family bring the dowry to the bride's home. The groom's family also sends the gifts they have bought for the bride to the new house. These gifts are sent in beautifully packaged bags called "Qufeh." The packages contain personal items, henna, bath accessories, cosmetics, fruits, and flowers.
Day 2: The bride's dowry is arranged in the new house. While most of the work is done in the previous days, this day is mainly for gathering together to celebrate with dancing and singing.
Day 3: This day is known as the "Bath Day," and it is a joyful and festive day. The bride, along with her mother, sisters, close relatives, and friends, goes to a traditional Tunisian bathhouse. The bathhouse is usually a public bath with traditional and beautiful tiles, reserved and prepared for this special day. In some Tunisian homes, they have a traditional bathhouse. The relatives take great care to ensure the bride has a fun and joyful day. By the end of the third day, the bride is ready for the Henna night, with a glowing face and shining hair.
Day 4: The fourth day is the "Henna Day," a very important day for Tunisians, even in cities where some ceremonies are skipped. Henna is a symbol of good fortune in Tunisia, and it is believed to bring happiness to the couple’s new life. A respected and older woman from the family applies henna to the bride's hands and feet, then places them in beautiful satin or velvet bags to allow the henna to dry. While waiting for the henna to dry, other women in the family engage in traditional dancing and singing. In some cities, the groom and his family also attend this event, but in most places, it is exclusive to the bride’s family.
Day 5: The fifth day is called "Harkous," a material similar to henna but darker and more lasting. Intricate patterns, such as floral and butterfly designs, are drawn on the bride's hands and feet with Harkous. Nowadays, Henna and Harkous are combined into one day. In some regions, the formal marriage contract is signed on this day. Northern cities refer to it as "Loutiah," while southern cities call it "Alaqah."
In some cities, after the afternoon prayer, the groom's family leaves with a sheep for sacrifice and brings the bride’s gifts, including perfume, clothing, cosmetics, and fruits, to the bride’s family home, accompanied by singing and dancing. The men slaughter the sheep and prepare the traditional Tunisian dish "Couscous." Other dishes include cooked vegetable salads, Tajine, mint tea, and other sweets. The women stay inside and sing, applying henna and Harkous on the bride. The bride's traditional wedding dress used to be a white gown with a lace veil, but today, people choose different styles according to their preferences.
Day 6: This day, known as "Loutiah," is for the bride's family. Similar to the Henna day, the bride and her family wear traditional and beautiful clothes and engage in dancing and singing. Throughout the day, the bride changes her outfit several times (sometimes up to four).
Day 7: The seventh day is the wedding day. The bride and groom, during a grand ceremony attended by all their relatives, get married. On the morning of this day, the groom goes to the traditional bath with his friends, and the bride is taken to a beauty salon. The wedding ceremony differs between northern and southern Tunisia. In the north, the bride typically wears a white dress with Tunisian makeup, while in the south, the bride wears a red wedding dress adorned with gold and precious stones, along with a red veil.
In a brief review of marriage in Tunisian culture, it is clear that Tunisian weddings are costly and of significant cultural importance, even in modern urban settings. In other words, Tunisian families, despite the country's economic instability, often spend a lifetime’s worth of savings to hold these seven festive nights, as the groom’s family must cover the costs of gold, wedding ceremonies, and other expenses, while the bride’s family prepares a full household for their daughter. The lengthy preparation process and high costs of the ceremonies may even take several years to complete.
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