The Pittsburgh Press (August 31, 1944)
Marriage customs
Arab bride on way to wedding
Mohammed, the prophet, said something about marriage, but failed to tell his followers how a wedding should be carried out. For that reason, many Mohammedan tribes and nations have their own special marriage customs.
Among the tens of millions of people in northern Africa, the great majority are Mohammedans. It is a common custom among them to use camels when they travel. Often a small “tent” is placed on a camel’s back for the use of the bride.
It is a widespread custom of Arabs in northern Africa for a bridegroom’s father to pay for a bride. After deciding on the young woman he wants his son to marry, he goes to see her father and talks over the amount of the “present” which must be made. If a proper amount will be accepted, a bargain is made.
This plan is followed in much the same way as “dowries” have been given in Europe and elsewhere. In the case of the dowry, however, the bride’s father gives the money, and the bridegroom usually gets it for the bank account of the couple.
A well-to-do father of an Arab bride may take the money, but may use all of it to buy wedding presents for the daughter.
In Morocco, an old native custom calls for orange coloring to be placed on both the bride and the groom. The coloring is made with henna and egg white, and it smeared on the groom’s hands. One of his close friends then dances before him, holding up four lighted candles as he does so.
The friend who dances with the candles is like the “best man” at a wedding in our country. He is called, however, a “vizier.” The groom has the honor of being called “sultan” on the day of his wedding.
Orange-colored crosses and stars are placed on the hands and feet of the Moroccan bride. These are meant as signs of good fortune.
In the company of her relatives and close friends, the bride rides toward the village or tent settlement of her future husbands. It is supposed to be ill fortune for one wedding procession to pass another. If that does happen, the women in each party throw stones at the members of the other party!