Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-01-08
An American Students Description OF
Il Marriage Ceremony in
the Orient.
The Festivities Continue an Entire
Week With Revelry. Day
and Night.
To Conclude the Affair the Happy
Couple is Locked Up By
Their Friends.

and Biudan, a little town four hours
horseback ride from the former, thus de-
scrlbes IN private letter an interesting
wedding ceremony which occurred in Blu
dan in July.
For week past this little town of Blu
dan has been In state of tremendous fes-
tai excitement, growing out of the MARI
age Of the brother of the sheik or governor
of the village to a charming widow of Da-
mascus.
AS you may not be aware Blu1an is
little Syrian town with d population of
about ], 800 people, very poor, as we in
America reckon poverty, and they live
mostly III one-story, fat-roofed mud and
stone houses, with furniture and interior
decorations to match
These houses are usually of two rooms,
one for cooking and eating and the other
for sleeping. There Is not glazed win
dow IN the TO IN proper. A few English
missionaries houses on the hills near are
much more comfortable and c0mmodiOus.
however.
The wedding took place on Thursday,
and the festivities began on the Monday
previous, and consisted in the sending of
presents, including rugs, crockery, a fa5-
ted calf, lambs, jewelry and all sorts OF
useful articles from the friends Of the high
contracting parties.
Money was also given, DR.. McKinnon
and contributing dollar each. One
popularity of this present giving is that
llstis keptaof each present, with the name
Of the donor, and when any of
the donors marry the exact amount or
| article is given them on their wedding
day.
So expect some day to get my dollar
again.
On Tuesday the bride, widow consid-
cred rich because she was the fortunate
possessor of a sum equal to $240 of our
money, q supply of clothing and a few
from Damascus, accompanied by party
of her relatives and friends.
As said before, the groom was a
brother of the shelk, a native of Bludan,
an important parsonage, and it was good
form, according to Syrian society, for the
bride to come to the groom. The brides
party was met at spring about four miles
from Rludan by mum Der of the groom's
relatives and friends.
l was out gazelle hunting with Dr.. Nc,
Kinnon that day and happened to be at
the spring when the two parties met.
There was great display of kissing
and han1shaking, and after short rest
the entire party on donkeys and camelS
proceeded into the town. The bride went
at once to the house OF some of her rela.
tives, wnera she remained until the we'd
ding day.
That night the whole town went in. o
the committee of the whole on the state of
the union, as you say in legislative circles
and there was f9astlng, dancing, music,
calling bonfres and a general Fourth of
July time until late hour.
The next morning it was resumed with
the addition OF presents from neighb0ing
villages of all sorts Of eatables, followed
by the donors, who took part in the feas-
ing and Joined the festive throng 10 all
the other advertisements.
This thing was kept up all Wednesday,
Wednesday evening and unit! o'clock
Thursday, an hour before the wedding.
At this hour rs clock a great crowd of
men and women collected about 100 men
took the groom out into an adj joining yard
where a committee of three proceeded to
give the happy man bath
The men formed a circle and in the
center OF it the committee Invested the
groom of every stitch of clothing and
scrubbed him thoroughly from head to foot
DIring this bath the yelling and shouting
and hurrahing of the crowd was indescrib,
aba.
Beyond the immediate crowd of men
nearly the whole town had gathered, with
many curious women on the house tops,
trying to get peep over the heads of the
people in the yard.
Ev r, body was in the best of humor and
Notwithstanding the groom had moi had
an entire bath before for ten years he also
seemed to enjoy it WI til the others. When
be lad been properly washed down the
committee dressed him In a suit of flowing
white Turkish trousers, a gold trimmed
vest. a mantle, turban and sandals of
russell leather.
His clothes were not the cleanest white
imaginable, but they were as white as
anybody's else, SO he was saved from
criticism.
After he was dressed ne was taken to his
own house. where he sat down to a sump-
tuous repast of lamb and rice served with
lebon Ia native dish) and upleavened bread
in large thin cakes.
The lamb and rice were in large wood
en- bowl, which was placed in the center of
hammered brass circular tray large
enough for dozen people to sit around
On this tray, which was about foot above
the floor, the bread and lebon were placed
and the guests seated about on s.ooIs six
inches high. broke the bread aud with
the pieces dipped the lamb and rice out of
the bowl and ate 1t.
The bon was eaten with wooden
spoons. The groom was not at our tray,
but in an adjoining room ate with his
flmily, sitting on rugs. [ may explain
here that ne did not consider himself quite
the social equal to his guests who consist
ed of high native officials from other
towns. English and American, and in
Difference 20 them made this discrimina
ton.
After the supper the groom was taken
to the church by his friends, and the bride
was brought in later. The bride was at
tired In light flowing silk gown cut in
the SYRIAN fashion, with a dark jacket
trimmed in lace ana gold coins, and wear
ing three wells.
One very fmy and thin was thrown all
over her and the other two heavier covered
her face. She wore bracelets, ear ngs ard
| other jewellery.
There was no bridesmaids, but the
| brides married sister, evidently soon to
| become a mother, acted as maid of
honor.
The groom stood before the altar and
the bride came to hin. They shock
| hands and the Greek priest invited them
to step forward, which they did, and be
| began read ne from book the marriage
| ceremony.
The groom was asked for the ring, but
| he had either lost il or forgotten it and
man near him handed him e, which the