A continuation of the various activities that were launched in celebration of the National Day of the State, on Wednesday evening, the Qatari Forum for Authors broadcast a new episode of the initiative “Discover Heritage with Maria from Qatari Books” presented by Maria Fernanda Delerio on the YouTube channel, and this time she discussed the book “Marriage in Qatar” by Sheikha Noor Bin Nasr Al Thani, which is published in both Arabic and English.
Maria said that this book takes readers on a journey into the Qatari marriage traditions, as it contains various elements that distinguish weddings in Qatar, which she considers distinct and different from marriage customs in various countries of the world, especially her hometown and European countries in terms of dress, eating, dancing, and praying.
And she said that one of the most important points that must be talked about, on the occasion of talking about marriage in Qatar, is the Henna that is adorned with all women at weddings and occasions, and it is a plant that is crushed and mixed with lemon and water and is usually engraved on the hands and feet, where the Qatari bride is adorned with henna two or three days before the wedding day, during a ceremony in which women gather to offer congratulations and wishes for good luck and success in marriage.
The second necessary element in Qatari weddings is the Kohl, which is a type of cosmetic that is placed in the eye. The application of Arab make-up has spread and has become fashionable in various countries of the world in recent years.
Maria indicated that the bride’s journey begins in Al-Khallah, which is a room dedicated to her that contains many peacock mirrors, which are decorations imported from India, and the green color that Qataris are optimistic about and symbolizes good luck is also present at Qatari weddings.
Only family members and friends of the bride enter this room to help her to make up and wear her clothes and jewelry to be in the most beautiful appearance of the most important days of her life, also in this room the bridegroom meets his bride on the wedding day.
And among the most important elements that are not far from Qatari weddings are drums, which are traditional instruments, because the most important characteristic of a Qatari wedding ceremony is the music, dance and happy songs that women sing around the bride whose words carry the wishes of happiness and abundant luck for the bride.
And also it must be available in every Qatari wedding (Mashmoum), which is a beautiful plant with a fragrant scent and symbolizes luck, happy wishes and love for the bride.
And what distinguishes the bride’s dress is that she is not restricted by a specific color, so she can choose any color she wants to celebrate her wedding, but Qatari women tend mostly to the red color.
At the end of the celebrations and on the day after the wedding, one of the Qatari people’s customs is for the bridegroom to go to his family’s home and the family takes him to his wife to have lunch together.