Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-30
A KURDISH WEDDING.
Characteristic Entertainment Provided
at the First DAYS Celebration

| Characteristic Entertainment Provided
at the First Days Celebration.
That the Kurds are not entirely
given over TO such bloodthirsty pur-
suits as participation in the Armenian
massacres and other lawless enter
prises with which the name has been
| associated is proved by an account OF
/ Kurdish wedding which has lust
reached here from E. W. Mcdowell.
a missionary of the foreign mission
board of the Presbyterian church in
western Persia. Mr. Mcdowell tells
the incident thus:
/ have been attending wedding
lamar Agha, a wealthy Kurd. has
taken bride for his son STA Mohomet.
and, along with the governor. city
officials. Kurdish Aghas and Begs. /
was invited to the festivities. In
I front of the house a band of fifty
| young Kurds in picturesque costume
were dancing to the pounding OF
drum Entering the house We were
conducted to the guestroom, where we
/ were received by the old Agha lamar.
The guestrOom was about is by Is
in size, well carpeted with Persian
rugs. There were three moIern win
! dows, set with glass and capable OF
being opened. They were. however.
sealed up air tight, and it was warm
| day, and there was stove in the
room not quite red hot. Besides the
stove there were fifty guests in the
| room not quite red hot. Besides the
airy, smoking. Perhaps you can i'm
agine the atmosphere. The stove was
finally carried out, not because of The
heat, but to make room for the dane
ers
These We're young Kun ds, handsome
fellows. in flowing and highly colorea
garments. They danced, sometimes
one alone, sometimes two or three to-
gether. Flirting bright-colored ker-
chiefs with the tips Of his fingers
| the dancer first pastures with the up.
! per part of his body. and then, as the
flute shrills louder, he keeps time to
| 1t with a slow. measured tread Of the
feet, moving in circle about the
room. One young man gave a sword
dance. He was a handsome fellow
with smiling lips, sparkling eyes and a
| daredevil face marred by scars which
! suggested sword play of more serious
sort Then there were the Kurdish
songs Of war and of love.
These performances were kept up
without intermisi0n for two hours
! Then came dinner Servants brought
in large pewter trays which were set
on low stools. The guests seated them
selves on the floor around these trays.
each one being supplied with large
Turkish towel and a spoon. There
We're ten courses. each brought in a
handsome metal dish, Without excep.
| ton the food was to0thsome; meats
and soups, vegetables, preserves and
| sWeetmeats, cooked after manner IN.
known TO us and differently served,
but all delicious. There were also
| sheep curds, cold. tart and delicious
to the taste, and bread which is unsur-
| passed in the world 1t is thin as a
wafer, thoroughly baked, crisp ana
with a flavor all its own. Some one
VIII introduce It to America some
day and make his fortune
Tea was served to us when we
came, and after dinner. The trays
having been removed and the guests
seated comfortably on the cushions,
Turkish coffee was served in dainty
little cups, An American cannot but
be impressed with the complete lacl,
! of selfconsciousnes embarrassment