Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-02-02
BERBER MARRIAGE MARKETS.
Tho Brides Are Painted Surprisingly and
Laden With borrowed Fincry.

1
Tho Brides Are Painted Surprisingly aud
Laden With borrowed Fincry.
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 male guardian. Many
of tho Berber tribes of Marocco, Algiers
and Tunis hold yearly marriage mar
kets, to which all the young nlarriagea
bio girls and widows from the neigh
boring villages arc brought. The mar
kets are attended not only by young men
fnd old on the outlook for wife, but
also by curious crowd anxious to see
what lots are for sale and what prices
they fetch The girls, when ON view.
are allowed to have 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 tho occasion
from friends and neighbors, as every
village takes pride i'll its girls and
wishes them to sell well. The young
women are all seated on small squares
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 Berbor women do not wear the face
conoealing 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 oven tattooed that the
natural features cannot be made ont.
Hero is description of girl of l6:
Yellow bars are painted across her face,
and patch of gold foil is stuck on her
right cheek. Her forehead is tattooeh
with 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 ribbon and p
coin. She wears long sleeved red siik
garment, falling from her skoEi1oT5
half way down her legs, and red aIl,
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 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
i'll diameter, from which bangle little
bells A heavy necklace is round her
neck, and below that massive chain,
with central brooch Round each arm
winds a 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 tho price of the woven stuff before
her. If he pleases her, she names a very
low figure. Then loud, shrill and pro
longed "Yu-yu-yu-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 good deal more
nervous and look as sheepish as a Eu-
ropean might i'll their place. They are
dressed in their best, in long, red bur
nous, with high straw hats surmounted
by cabbage shaped plumes. One will
spend an hour and sometimes two or
three walking about the girl he wants
before ne dares to ask the price Of the
woven roll. The girls watch the men
cut of the corners Of their eyes, appar-
entity unconcerned, chatting and laugh
ing at them. When the sutton presents
himself, they eye him boldly from head
to foot as they would a horse, and if he
: suits he gets prompt answer Some
times the old woman will encourage q
bashfnl youth with wink or nod
, Cll Dt 70 l,,,ri