The Anaconda standard., 1898-02-23
ARABIAN WOMEN AND MARRIAGES
Their Life Is Full % Sentiment and
Quaint Customs.
From the Springfield Republican.


Their Life Is Fun % Sentiment and
Quaint Customs.
From the Springfield Republican.
Arabians have peculiar ideas on the
marriage question. An Arab will in
vaIiably offer marriage to his brothers
widow. 1t is considered sign or re-
spect to the dead brother and the liv-
ing woman by so doing, as the Semitic
tradition mentioned in The Hebrew and
the Christian Scriptures tells us. In
an Arab town statement made before
the eadi constitutes all the essential
marriage ceremony. In the desert the
only necessary function is tn slaugh-
tering of a sheep within or before the
tent of the brides father. Arabs not
infrequently change and exchange
wives, to the highest satisfaction of all
concerned. If a man is dissatisfied with
his wife he may return her TO her faith
er, but he must also return her mar
riage portion in full, and II she be of
the Bedouin blood a she camel must be
added to the original DOVER. Arab
wives as q rule are treated with con-
sideration and with not small share of
tenderness. In Arabia woman's posi-
tion is one of dignity, her attitude one
of self-respect. Arab men are as full
of sentiment as of prowess, and no
more ashamed of the one than the
other.
Arabs who know Europe say that
Europeans are hard upon their wom-
en-, and do not fear God nor conceal
their offenses." An Arab will not Oft
en- expose a sinful woman, even though
she sin against his own near kinSman
but viii say: Il must cover her with
my cloak. And more indulgence must
be given to women than TO ourselves
for they are weaker, and While equally
tempted are less able to Withstand
temptation" Like the geisha of Japan
the dancing girl Ar9nid and
often does, leave her calling and be-
come a respected wife. Centuries ago,
and for centuries, English lovers broke
a coin between them and so solemnized
their betrothal. In some Arab tribes a
man and maiden breaking together be-
fore three witnesses flat, thin cake of
almond paste are formally affianced.
An Arab has an absolute right to the
hand of his girl cousin. He must for
mally renounce that right before she
can marry anyone else. When a girl
has more than one male cousin the
prior claim is the Oldest cousins: or, in
some tribes, that of the oldest unmar-
rled cousin. The man must provide all
necessarieS for his wife, and II she has
money or earns any she spends 1t in
dress. If she makes him a skull cap
or handkerchief he must pay for her
work.
In the land of Ishmael no honey
moons are ever taken by the bridal
cou1ie after the ceremony has been
performed. However it infrequenty
| falls to the lot of the bride-elect to
| make very trying journey just prev
ious to her marriage. if she is to be
married to a man in a neighboring
| town she goes to him-not he to her,
! for she is leaving home and he is not
| what more natural than that she
should be put to the Inconvenience?
Besides, it is considered luckier for the
bride to cover the distance, IL there is
| any, between herself and her future
| husband. And what a picture she
makes as she comes riding proudly her
| nuptial camel! She rides in litter
canopied by embroidered, tasseled and
| tinseled silk or fine cloth. On the can
opy is an appropriate text or more from
/ the koran, embroidered in gold. The
| camel wears a proud plume of ostrich
/ feathers. His long neck is dyed deer
with brilliant hannah. His face and
head are hung with wee mirrors, which
fash in the sunlight His grotesque
/ bulk and his gaunt legs are swathed
and hung with hulkaris-strange East
/ ern cloths bedecked with squares and
ovals of looking glass and long, thick
! stitches of rich silk. Some girl OF
woman friend rides with the bride, anc
attendants and protectors preeede ant
/ har