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Marriage in Morocco
| Article
# : |
13952 |
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Section : |
CULTURE
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| Issue
Date : |
2 / 1988 |
2,290 Words |
| Author
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Ettagale Blauer
Ettagale Blauer is a freelance writer based in New York. |
Tucked behind the tomb of Moulay Ismail, one of the landmarks of Meknes, Morocco, lies the home of Mohammed Fikri and his family. As is typical in the Islamic world, the exterior of the house is plain, almost poor in appearance; there is no hint of the luxury behind its walls. As is also typical, Mohammed's family keeps its private life hidden. When it was time for Mohammed to be married, his wedding was celebrated in traditional Moroccan style.
My colleague and I had the opportunity to witness this wedding firsthand after meeting Mohammed by chance. During a visit to Meknes we were interested bystanders as he and his friends brought his bride's furniture into his home. As we stood watching, Mohammed noticed us. He seemed delighted. With dark eyes flashing and a warm smile, he enthusiastically invited us to his wedding and we gladly accepted. During the four days of the wedding celebration, we were permitted a rare glimpse of private life in Moroccan society.
Mohammed came from Meknes and his bride from Fez, two of the four imperial cities of Morocco. Ceremonies were held first at the bride's home, then at the groom's. The marriage had been arranged by the groom's widowed mother. Mohammed, twenty-seven, explained in halting French that, with his father dead, his mother had decided he was ready to marry and take on the responsibilities of continuing the family name. His eighteen-year-old cousin, Latifa, had been chosen as his wife. The actual civil and religious formalities had been performed by a Muslim official some months before, when the two families had agreed upon the terms of the dowry. In the interim, Mohammed had made payments on the
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