Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-01-18
~ Sur
BgReEa MAEaIKeg MARKETS. :
The Brides Are Painted Surprisingly and
Laden with Borrowed Finery.

The Brides Are Painted Surprisingly and
Laden with Borrowed Finery.
Among the Kabyle clans in northern
Africa women are looked upon as chat
tells to be sold like other possessions, and
they are accordingly disposed of to the
person who makes the highest offer to
the father or other malo guardian. Many
of the Berber tribes Of Marocco, Algiors
and Tunis hold yearly marriage mar
kets, to which all the young marriagea-
BILE girls and widows from the neigh
boring villages are brought The mar
kets are attended not only by young men
and old on the outlook for wife, but
also by a curious crowd anxious to see
what lots are for sale and what prices
they fetch. The girls, when on view,
are allowed to have a voice in the Sc
lection of their husbands and may de-
cline any proposal
They are arranged in rows right
across the market place; decked in the
most telling Berber costumes; painted,
powdered and patched in the highest
style of Kabyle art; loaded down with
rings and bangles, brooches, chains and
coins enough to stock jewelers. shop.
The Jewels are rarely the girls proper
ty, but are borrowed for the occasion
from friends and neighbors, as every
village takes pride in its girls and
wishes them to sell well. The young
IL rroAo1 oil
of carpet spread upon the ground. Each
has an elderly woman beside her. and
in front she has, as if for sale, a small
roll of stuff woven by her own hands.
The faces of the girls are uncovered,
for Berber women do not wear the face
concealing haik Of the Arabs, but it is
impossible to tell whether they are pref
ty or not, for their faces and foreheads
are so painted and even tattooed that the
natural features cannot be made out.
Here is a description Of a girl Of l6:
Yellow bars are painted across her face,
and patch of gold foil is stuck OH her
right cheek Her forehead is tattooed
with a blue circle, and her lips and
gums are well Redeemed Her hair is ar
ranged in narrow plaits, from the end
of each Of which dangle a ribbon and a
coin. She wears long sleeved red silk
garment, falling from her shoulders
half way down her legs, and red silk
scarf worn like a plaid across the left
shoulder, where it is fastened by jew
eled gold brooch The legs from the
knee down are bare, but the feet are in
closed in little yellow slippers, with
gold embroidered edges and jeweled
tops, while round the ankles is a double
row of bangles, with bells attached On
her head is a Phrygian cap, with a
thick corded silk border and fringed
ends, to which tiny coins are fixed,
hanging over the forehead down to tho
eyebrows. To pair Of small earrings
are attached two larger rings six inches
in diameter, from which dangle little
bells. A heavy necklace is round her
neck, and below that a massive chain,
with a central brooch Round each arm
winds broad band Of gold and below
it seven bangles, to which bells are
fastened.
Another girl may have her whole face
painted yellow, with little stars and
suns and moons in silver foil pasted all
over it. Another has blue circles tat
tooed all over her cheeks. The widows
wear white cloth fastened to the top Of
the head and secured by brooch at the
waist.
The man who wishes to purchase
steps up to the woman Of his choice and
asks the price Of the woven stuff before
her If be pleascs her, she names a very
low figure. Then a loud, shrill and pro-
longod "Yu-yu-yu-u-u" uttered by the
old woman at her side announces that
a bargain has been made, and the crowd
shouts its approval If she does not care
for the man, she names an absurdly
high price Then he walks off to inspect
the next lot.
The girls are perfectly self possessed.
The young men are a good deal more
nervous and look as sheepish as 4 Eu-
ropean might in their place. They are
dressed in their best, in long, red bur
nous, with high straw hats surmounted
by cabbage shaped plumes. Ono will
spend an hour and sometimes two Of
three walking about the girl he want:
before he dares to ask the price Of the
woven roll The girls watch the men
ont Of the corners Of their eyes, appar-
emily unconcerned, chatting and laugh
! ing at them. When the suitor presents
himself, they eye him boldly from head
to foot as they would a horse, and if be
suits he gets prompt answer. Some
times the old woman will encourage q
bashful youth with a wink or a nod.
The old men set to work in a business
like manner and walk down the line,
making their proposal to one after an
other till they find some one who will
accept their offer. New York Sun.