Hi everyone, welcome to my blog.
           For those who don't know me, my name is Zahra Tamara Ahmed and I am currently in year 9 going to year 10. Throughout this academic year, I will be dedicating my passion to analyze how my tribe the Nubians, conduct their weddings. In all honesty,I don't know much about my tribe as I would like to know and most of my questions are towards how the Nubians conduct their wedding. This blog will provide an insight into how many of the Nubians view the nature of a wedding day and what they consider most important not to be ignored in a wedding.
          Personally I have a fascination about the Nubians , and the entire blog is also going to be about how the Nubians use originality to conduct their weddings and show the beauty of their culture. Their weddings embrace a wide variety of activities such as the hair, hand decorations, dressing, music, the role of the in-laws, artistic items, the cultural dances and much much more that you will get to view in this blog.

         

AKIL DAKULA the last day

The third and last day of the wedding 

 a special food is prepared for the bride known as Akil Dakula. it is specially prepared for the bride to take to her husband's home to be served to the relatives of the husband and the husband. the food is prepared by the bride's people.  the food include;
            a) meat balls cooked in garlic and bamia
            b) rice and meat mixed with potatoes (irish)
            c) gurusa and layu with meat 
            d)small mandazis for tea
            e)chapati and chicken for the husband, wife and the best men.  

Meet Zahra

Hi everyone, welcome to my blog.
           For those who don't know me, my name is Zahra Tamara Ahmed and I am currently in year 9 going to year 10. Throughout this academic year, I will be dedicating my passion to analyze how my tribe the Nubians, conduct their weddings. In all honesty,I don't know much about my tribe as I would like to know and most of my questions are towards how the Nubians conduct their wedding. This blog will provide an insight into how many of the Nubians view the nature of a wedding day and what they consider most important not to be ignored in a wedding.
          Personally I have a fascination about the Nubians , and the entire blog is also going to be about how the Nubians use originality to conduct their weddings and show the beauty of their culture. Their weddings embrace a wide variety of activities such as the hair, hand decorations, dressing, music, the role of the in-laws, artistic items, the cultural dances and much much more that you will get to view in this blog.

         

1st DAY OF THE WEDDING

    The morning first starts with a prayer (dua) for the sela (presents from the groom's side). This prayer can be performed by any male adult around, maalim or a Sheikh. The prayer is said to bless the sela and give thanks to Allah and  for the wedding to go through successfully. 
      
Afterwards, the relatives of the husband to be carry the sela to the home of the wife to be.

THE LID IS WHAT IS KNOWN AS KUTA

Upon reaching their destination, they form a circle with the sela on their heads or hands.







           
















           Then they move around the two grandmothers of the the bride 7 times. The 7 times aspect is repeated again when a woman opens each of the lid for the sela 7 times in order to complete the culture of presenting the sela. afterwards The prayer is said again. 
        The two grandmothers are there to represent the acceptance of the sela. There are some cases where the grandmother can be only one or none at all. 

Then later a lady comes and opens each of the lids 7 times before fully opening them










      The lid that the lady opens is known as Kuta.... here is a sample of how they look like but most of the time they are in colors of red, green or yellow. 

http://haibafoundation.org/ni/images/kuta.jpg

• These type of cultural style are usually made by old women in the tribe, just like in the picture above. 

   

The night is welcomed with music, other women dancing and singing while preparing their evening meal. the groom and his best men enter a room-exclusively for women- covered in a white(or any other color) clothing from head to toe. a woman comes, washes the hands of the groom and his best men then later apply Hena on them. 

• all the women leave the men in the room to sleep their and that's it for the first day of the Nubian wedding.

Nikha (Wedding) Day

The NIKHA (Wedding) Day 

the second day of the wedding 

     The next morning in a separate room, the bride is braided in the cultural style while in another, the groom and his best get ready to go to the mosque. They also apply Hena on her legs and arms

Hena 

They can hire a professional to apply Hena for them

 The Nikha takes place at the mosque where its only the men plus the sheikh present. The document is signed by the groom, his best men and the sheikh who preceded over the Nikha or wedding.     

The groom and his best men at the mosque

At night, the cultural activity that takes place is known as DERIRA. this is a ceremony conducted to welcome pride to the bride and groom's home and gifts are offered, like money to the bride, groom and his best men. then oil is applied on the heads of newly weds; this is believed it will stop them from having headaches a few days after the wedding - which could have been caused by the stress of arranging and going through with the wedding. food is then offered to the invited guests and the family members from both side. 

P.S while all this is going on at night, there is music dancing and singing at the background.

Here is a video showing our type of music and the dance

author's note; Their music is very unique, known as doluka and a little mixture of taarab. they invite famous Nubian singers who sing with the audience in a call and response manner. their dance is also quite unique from common styles.