10 Surprising Middle Eastern Marriage Traditions
Summary
TLDRIn this episode of FTD Facts, Leroy Kenton explores 10 unique Middle Eastern wedding traditions. From the intimate Tolby where the groom's proposal is formalized, to the vibrant Zappa dance celebrating the newlyweds' grand entrance, each tradition reflects the region's rich cultural heritage. The script also touches on the Henna night, a bachelorette-like gathering for women, and the Moroccan Kaftan, highlighting the diversity in wedding customs across the Middle East.
Takeaways
- đ Middle Eastern weddings traditionally have two main events: Nike and Walima.
- đ€ The wedding process begins with a meeting of the families and ends with a farewell to the newlyweds.
- đȘ The 'Tolby' or 'Tulba' is a private event where the groom formally asks for the bride's hand in marriage.
- đ 'Engagement' or 'Khutba' is a ceremony where the bride and groom exchange rings and wear matching outfits.
- đ 'Runway Radwa' is a pre-wedding event where male relatives help with preparations and ensure the bride's parents enjoy the ceremony.
- đș 'Henna' is a popular tradition where the bride's hands and feet are decorated with henna, often accompanied by singing and dancing.
- đ 'Henna Knight' is like a bachelorette party for women, involving dancing, singing, and celebrating the bride's future.
- đ€”ââïžđ° 'Wedding Ceremony' involves signing marriage documents, with the couple dressed in royal garments and holding candles.
- đ 'Zappa' is a traditional dance in Lebanese weddings, marking the grand entrance of the newlyweds.
- đ 'Barmet Al Arus' is a farewell celebration where the couple is escorted to their new home with music and noise.
- đ 'Moroccan Kaftan' is a traditional garment worn by the bride during the wedding ceremony in Morocco.
- đ 'Egyptian Honeymoon' varies by region, with rural couples staying home for the first week and urban couples often spending the first night in a hotel.
Q & A
What are the two original traditions of Middle Eastern weddings?
-The two original traditions of Middle Eastern weddings are known as 'nike' and 'walima'.
What is the significance of the 'tolby' tradition in Middle Eastern weddings?
-The 'tolby' tradition is a private event where the groom formally asks for the bride's hand from her parents after both families have agreed to the marriage proposal. It is a moment for blessings and the recitation of Surah Fatiha.
How is the engagement ceremony, or 'khootba', conducted in Middle Eastern weddings?
-In the engagement ceremony, also known as 'khootba', the bride and groom exchange rings and wear matching color clothing. It is similar to a wedding or dinner party arranged by both families.
What activities take place during the 'runway radwa' event in Middle Eastern weddings?
-During the 'runway radwa', male relatives from both families help with decorating and setting up the bride's home. They also ensure that the bride's parents have a great time and resolve any issues before the wedding.
Can you describe the henna tradition in Middle Eastern weddings?
-Henna is a common wedding tradition where the bride's female friends sing Arabic songs and draw henna on the bride's hands and feet. There's also a henna night, similar to a bachelorette party, where friends and family celebrate the bride's new future.
What is the 'zaffa' or 'zappa' tradition in Middle Eastern weddings?
-The 'zaffa' or 'zappa' is a traditional dance performed in Middle Eastern weddings, especially in Lebanon, marking the grand entrance of the newlywed couple. It involves music, dancing, and sometimes the bride is carried on shoulders to the event.
What is the 'dobkey' or 'debka' dance in the context of Middle Eastern weddings?
-The 'dobkey' or 'debka' is a folk dance performed by professional dancers and wedding guests in a circle during some Arab weddings. In Egypt, belly dancing is performed instead to entertain the guests.
What is the 'barmet al arus' tradition and how is it celebrated?
-The 'barmet al arus' is a farewell to the bride and groom before they leave for their new home. The couple goes into a decorated vehicle, followed by relatives and friends who play loud music to announce the marriage.
How does the Moroccan 'kaftan' tradition manifest in weddings?
-In Moroccan weddings, the bride wears her best kaftans, which are long coats or overdresses with long sleeves, during ceremonies that can last from three days to a week.
What are the differences between honeymoons in rural and urban parts of Egypt?
-In rural Egypt, newlywed couples typically stay home for the first seven days of marriage before receiving visitors. In urban areas, couples often spend the first night in a hotel and then travel to a resort, either local or overseas, for their honeymoon.
Outlines
đ Middle Eastern Wedding Traditions
This segment of the video delves into the traditional customs of Middle Eastern weddings. It begins with an introduction by the host, Leroy Kenton, who explains that originally, these weddings featured only two main traditions known as 'nike' and 'walima.' The script then details the modern sequence of events, starting with a family meeting and concluding with the farewell to the newlyweds. The video highlights several specific traditions, including the 'tolby' where the groom formally asks for the bride's hand in marriage, the 'khotba' or engagement ceremony, and the 'runway radwa' where male relatives assist in preparations. The segment also covers the popular 'henna' tradition, the 'henna knight' which is akin to a bachelorette party, and the signing of marriage documents during the ceremony. The host emphasizes the cultural significance of these rituals, often accompanied by music, dance, and the exchange of rings.
đŽ Moroccan and Egyptian Wedding Customs
The second paragraph of the script focuses on the unique wedding customs in Morocco and Egypt. It describes the Moroccan tradition where the bride dons her finest 'kaftan' during a ceremony that can last from three days to a week, depending on the couple's financial status and regional customs. The script then shifts to Egypt, where honeymoon practices vary significantly between rural and urban areas. In the countryside, newlyweds traditionally stay at home for the first week, receiving visits and gifts from friends and family. In contrast, urban couples often spend their first night in a hotel before traveling to a resort, either locally or abroad. The host wraps up the segment by inviting viewers to engage with the content, like, subscribe, and look forward to more educational videos about global cultures and traditions.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄMiddle Eastern Weddings
đĄNike and Walima
đĄTolby
đĄEngagement
đĄRunway Radwa
đĄHenna
đĄHenna Knight
đĄZappa
đĄDobkey
đĄBarmet Al Arus
đĄMoroccan Kaftan
đĄHoneymoon
Highlights
Middle Eastern weddings traditionally have two main traditions known as Nike and Walima.
Weddings start with a meeting between families and end with a farewell to the newlyweds.
The tradition of Tolby involves a private event where the groom asks for the bride's hand.
Engagement, or Khutba, is a ceremony where the bride and groom exchange rings on their right hands.
Runway Radwa is an event where male relatives prepare the bride's home for the wedding.
Henna is a common tradition where the bride's hands and feet are decorated with henna.
Henna Knight is a bachelorette party-like event for women involving singing and dancing.
The wedding ceremony involves signing marriage documents and a candle ceremony in some Christian traditions.
Zappa is a traditional dance performed at weddings, especially in Lebanon, as a grand entrance for the couple.
Dobkey is a folk dance that involves guests dancing in a circle at some Arab weddings.
Barmet Al Arus is a farewell celebration where the couple is escorted to their new home with music and noise.
Moroccan weddings can last up to a week and feature the bride wearing her best Kaftans.
In rural Egypt, newlyweds traditionally stay home for the first seven days of marriage before receiving guests.
Urban Egyptian couples often spend their first night in a hotel before traveling to a resort for their honeymoon.
Transcripts
hey guys what's happening welcome back
to ftd facts my name is leroy kenton
now originally middle eastern weddings
they were supposed to have only two
traditions
which were known as nike and walima
another thing to note is that middle
eastern
weddings now start with a meeting
between the couple's families
and ends with the farewell to a newly
wed
couple but with that said let's get into
the specific traditions in this episode
at
number 10 we have the tradition of tolby
now toby or tulba is a private event in
which only the closest relatives of the
bride and the groom
are present now the groom formally asks
for the bride's hand from her parents
this tradition takes place after both
families have agreed to the marriage
proposal both families give their
blessings to the groom and the bride
and the surah fatiha is recited and this
is recited by everybody that's present
at the event
after that tea is served with sweets to
enjoy
and celebrate this whole new agreement
this marriage agreement number nine we
have engagement now engagement is also
known
as khutba in the middle eastern
countries and it's a ceremony in which
the bride in the group they exchange
the rings so putting the rings on each
other's right hands is a very common
thing to do
bride and groom also wear matching color
clothing as well the engagement is
pretty much just like a wedding party or
dinner party
which is arranged by both parties now
moving on to
number eight we have runway radwa is a
small event which takes place
one or two days before the actual
wedding
in this small event male relatives from
both families they go into the bride's
home and take care of
anything that needs to be done in terms
of decorating and setting things up and
all of that and they also
make sure that the bride's parents have
a great time
in the ceremony the grooves relatives
they make sure to resolve any issue
before the wedding and the eldest
man from the groom's side congratulates
everyone and gives his blessings another
cool tradition
is the tradition of henna i love these
things henna is
probably the most common wedding
tradition in the middle eastern and arab
countries
the bride's female friends sing the
arabic songs
and they draw henna on the bride's hands
and feet
sometimes other parts of the body as
well there's even henna
knight hannah knight is just like a
bachelorette party
for just the females the friends and
family they dance and sing
songs about the bride's new future they
have drinks and food as well of course
men also have their own separate party
where they you know typically
do things like dancing to traditional
music
is the tradition next this is another
middle eastern
marriage tradition it is a wedding
ceremony in which both families sign the
marriage
documents the sheikh or the zun lays out
the
conditions and the rules of the marriage
and specifically
in coptic orthodox christianity as well
as in the ethiopian tawahito
church brides and grooms are dressed up
in royal garments sometimes wearing
capes and crowns and jewelry
even the couple are each given a candle
to hold
in their left hand during the ceremony
and this represents their beliefs in
jesus christ as the light of the world
and that they will be guided through
life by the teachings of the church
the couple's right hands are then joined
by the priest
as a symbol of unification so just like
that guys we reach halfway in this
episode and if you're enjoying this one
so far you
definitely will love the video that i
have recommended for you it's about
specifically surprising
muslim marriage traditions link to that
is down below so you can check that one
out
after this episode zappa comes in next
at number five
zappa is a traditional dance that is
performed in weddings in
middle eastern countries especially in
the country of lebanon
it's like a grand entrance celebration
for the newlywed couple
now the tradition starts with the
bride's father bringing his daughter
to the groom and during this whole event
the band of drummers
they play traditional arabic music and
in some traditions actually the rings
are
changed to the opposite hand you'll hear
female relatives performing also
traditionally
male and female dancers they perform a
special dance wearing special clothing
to welcome in the couple and also this
is a pretty popular thing
so much so that it was recently adopted
by beirut as well
in some weddings the zafa performers
will carry the bride on their shoulders
and bring them to the event
let's look at dubki at number four
dobkey is a folk dance performed by
professional dancers in some arab
weddings
wedding guests also joined the dance and
dance in a
circle however one thing to know is that
in egypt instead of dab key
belly dancing is done to entertain the
guests
for number three we have barmet al arus
this is a farewell that's given to the
bride and groom before
they leave now the couple goes into a
beautiful
decorated vehicle and the relatives and
the friends they follow the couple to
their home and play
loud music to let everybody know
that this couple just got married
they're making a whole lot of noise
up in the streets let's move on now to
number two and this is
moroccan kaftan moroccan weddings are
among the most traditional in the region
during the ceremony which can last from
three days to a week depending on the
financial situation
of the couple and it also depends on the
region that the wedding is happening in
but the bride wears her best kaftans in
the form of a coat or overdress
usually reaching to the ankles and with
long
sleeves and finally number one we have
egypt's honeymoon honeymoons in egypt
differs from one part of the country to
another
when we look at the countryside in egypt
the newlywed couples they
rarely travel for their honeymoon
instead they stay home
for the first seven days of their
marriage before entertaining
friends and families who come to see
them bring them gifts and food
as well as anything else that they might
need but when you look over into the
urban parts of egypt
married couples they commonly spend the
first night of their honeymoon
in a hotel and that's where they
celebrate their union
before they travel to a resort it could
be overseas
or it could be a local resort like
traveling to their red sea for instance
so that is it this was a brief snapshot
look at
10 surprising middle eastern traditions
some of them you're probably a little
bit more familiar with than
others some of them were maybe new to
you either way guys really hope you
enjoyed this one
as always be sure to leave your thoughts
and comments down below also leave a
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around our world as it relates to
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awesome stay educated i'll see you in
the next one
you
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