Page 33 - Personal Column (Charles Belgrave)_Neat
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on the roof. In winter-time a room on the ground floor would be used.
door, which led into the women’s quarters, to a room crowded with
The room was quite small; as many people as could get into it sat inside,
women, where the bride was being exhibited. The bride was dressed in
the others sat on the open roof. Wc drank coffee and made the usual
ail her silks and finery, laden with jewellery, heavy gold bracelets, neck
remarks, wishing happiness to the bridegroom, who was the least con
laces, turquoise rings, ear-rings shaped like a young moon with pearls
spicuous member of the party and sat silently in a comer even when one
pendant from them, and elaborate golden head ornaments with little gold
of the guests made a ribald remark to him. The atmosphere in the room
chains set with semi-precious stones, which hung over her forehead. Her
was stifling. It was decorated for the occasion with vividly coloured gold-
hair had been elaborately plaited and was intertwined with roses, jasmine
embroidered silks which covered the ceiling like a tent and hung down
and frangi-pani blossoms, if they are in season, her hands and feet were
the walls, entirely blocking the windows. Innumerable large mirrors were
painted in fine patterns with henna dye, which had taken three days to
suspended round the room and coloured glass balls, like those used on
apply, and her eyes were darkened with kohl. The jewels were part of the
Christmas trees, were hung from the ceiling and around the mirrors. dowry, but in some cases additional jewellery was borrowed from other
The lengths of silk which formed part of the bride’s wedding gifts had
members of the family. She sat silent with her hands folded gazing de
been sent to her by the bridgroom in a wooden chest ornamented with murely at the floor, bashfulness being particularly emphasized at wed
brass-headed nails. Today a suitcase would be used. The mirrors were dings, while the older ladies of the family displayed her and her clothes
borrowed. Often before a wedding I met processions of black-veiled and jewels almost as if she were a doll.
women on their way to a bride’s house, singing and drumming as they In the meantime the men guests, myself among them, drank a round
walked, each one carrying a large mirror balanced on her head. The of coffee in the nuptial chamber and then took our leave. After a short
floor was thickly covered with Persian carpets, several being laid one on interval the bride was conveyed there by her women relations, who
the top of another, and around the walls there were hard cushions in white stayed with her until a frantic crescendo of ululating from the dancing
cotton covers. The only furniture was a large double bed with carved women gave warning that the bridegroom was approaching; the women
wooden ends and a table draped with a plush cover on which there were then retired, leaving the bride alone. On entering the room the man gives
candles, a vase of tired-looking flowers, pink oleanders, a jug of water his bride a present, usually a piece of jewellery. He then unveils here and
and some glasses. The air in the room was heavy with incense and the is supposed to sec his bride for the first time, though nowadays it is quite
minty scent of ‘mushmoon’, a plant rather like mint which I believe is possible that he may have seen her before. It used to be the custom among
‘Sweet Basil’, which grows prolifically in Bahrain. The general effect some people in Bahrain for the bride to be wrapped inside a rolled carpet
was a blaze of barbaric colour and a heady atmosphere, quite a suitable and the carpet containing the girl was propelled into the room where the
background for the occasion. bridegroom was waiting, but this uncomfortable procedure has now gone
In an inner courtyard negro women, wearing almost transparent out of fashion. The singing and the dancing continues for most of the
garments, were dancing and singing, unseen but not unheard by the men. night and there is a good deal of scurrying around, listening and whisper
They sat on the ground swaying from the waist with sensuous move ing at the door of the nuptial chamber so that before the couple emerge
ments while one of them performed the danse du ventre to the music of the women of the house are discussing the intimate details of the wedding
drums, hand-clapping and lascivious love songs. As they sung they flung night. When a wedding takes place in a barasti, a palm-branch house^
back their long-plaited hair into which were braided strongly scented even less reticence is observed. The bridegroom" is'supposed to remain
flowers of the double jasmine. One ofithem held a smouldering incense- incarcerated with his wife for three'days and nights, but more often than
burner and in the comer there was a fire where the drums were dried to not he manages to slip out for a little while during this period. On the
tighten the stretched skin. The dancers were led by a wrinkled old black fourth day the couple move to their permanent home which, if they are
crone who in spite of her age was incredibly active. Most of the dancing lucky and comfortably off, may be their own house, though more often it
women were the descendants of African slaves who worked as servants is the bouse of one of the parents, and their normal married life then begins.
in the houses of the big families. When a young man wants to marry a girl the affair is negotiated
When Marjorie arrived at the house she was shown in by another through a third person. Old women, who had the entree to many houses,
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