Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-07-02
a DESERT WEDDING.
An Interesting Account of Marriage
Among the Wandering Bedouins.

An Interesting Account of Marriage
Among the Wandering Bedouins.
A Bedouin wedding, which l lately
had the occasion to witness, took place
in Ramleh-a seaside resort near Alex
andria-where many houses have a
Bedouin CHAIR, who pitches his tent
near his masters house, and lives there
with his family and cattle, if he has
any.
The bridegroom was the son of a
friends ghafir. Previous to the en-
gagement the father had obtained three
days leave on the plea of his going
down to Alexandria for the choice of
daughter-in-law. On the evening of
the third day several shots fred sue
cessively announced to the native Be
douins the ghafirs return and the hap
Ply result of his mission. The wedding
was fixed for that day week.
Groups of Bedouins fastened to an
swer to the invitation, and after some
talking and shouting the men soon
formed ring and began clapping
hands, the body keeping time to the
movements of the hands by going up
ward and downward. Now and then
one of the fellows walled forth Bed
ouin song, while the others chorused.
The women sat chatting before the
tent and occasionally filled the air with
the shrill sound of the Ziraleet. No re-
freshmen was offered and their sole
eclairage was the moon, whose silvery
light gave weird aspect to the whole
scene. After an hours amusement the
guests retired.
The next evening the firing brought
forth all the company of the preceding
night. This time the great attraction
was two dancing women, very pic
turesquely dressed. and their faces
covered with a soft black muslin. They
entered the ring formed by the men.
each of them holding long
staff-an adjunct to the various
movements of their figures. They
went round and round, shaking their
hips and leaning at different intervals
on their stats, while the clapping of
hands redoubled in whichever part of
the ring the women approached. l OBJ
served a young enthusiast take hand
full of sand from where one of the wom-
en- had trodden and kiss it repeatedly.
| noticed that the bridegroom was alb
sent. and, asking for the cause, was in
formed that he was too bashful to APP
pear. Two hours later the company
dispersed, to begin afresh at intervals
during the short engagement.
At last the eventful morning dawned.
A new tent had been pitched for the
Young couple, while in that of the old
ones several cauldrons full of rice and
water were boiling. When the rice was
done some oil was poured over it, and
then very large wooden bowls We're
arfi To
tents of the cauldrons. This formed
the whole menu of the wedding break
fast. and was attended to by the bride
rroom's mother, aided by some other
matrons. The ghafir and the young
people had gone to fetch the bride.
They had taken with them one of the
chairs camels. which they had gayly
decorated wife red and blue cloth, and
erected a canopy on its back to receive
the bride.
A large procession was formed, head
ed bv horsemen and other Bedoulns
armed with guns. which they hred ire
ouently. The bride, completely hidden
from sight by the curtains OF the cano-
nv. and followed by the women, brought
up the rear. They went all over Ram
leh. stopping before every friends tent
to dance, fire and sing. At about
o'clock in the afternoon the merry
party arrived at the bridegroom place
The latter had remained at home. The
father. who was holding the cameIs
birdie. handed it over to his wife. who
led the animal seven times around the
bridal tent. each time accompanied by
shots. which are the chief feature In
Redouin wedding. Finally the camel
stopped before the entrance OF the tent