Arab and american culture PDF

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difference between Arab culture and American wedding cultures...

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Q.1 What are the differences between marriage in Arab culture and marriage in American culture? Culture and traditions vary greatly in different regions of the world as it is unique to specific societies. Importance of peculiar culture and traditions, as a symbolic for a country, cannot be denied. Marriage is one of that established conventional traditions among various trends and rituals of Arab and American culture. Marriage is a sacred liturgy which paves a way to a spiritual as well as emotional union between spouses. It veers considerably in terms of religion and socioeconomic culture in different geographical regions of the globe. Some of the contrasting features of marriage in Arab and American culture are listed in this disquisition. In Arab culture cousin marriages are highly cherished and some nomadic Arabs considered it a stigma for the family if something contradicting happens. Algeria is one of the largest Arab countries in the world and is famed for its traditions. The basic marriage rules are similar in the Arab world. The ceremony started by meeting of the mothers of the intended families. With the intention to ask for the girls’ hand, the boys’ family visits the girls’ family. The acceptance of the proposal shows that the couple is now engaged. Boys’ family members, dressed in beautifully decorated silk clothes, used to arrive at girls’ house with traditional almond and honey cakes and other gifts including traditional jewelry, costumes and embroidery influenced by other cultures absorbed in the Arab culture. Everyone greets the girl with high salutations and pays obeisance with a look of adoration and

the mother-in-law to be offers a ring to formalize the engagement. The guests are usually served by an exquisite of delicacies made with various nuts with the aroma of rosewater and citrus zest. Milk as an emblem of purity and good fortune, is also a part of the menu. A blessing to Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) is made to signify the commitment of engagement finally. Subsequently, the male members of the family meet to discuss the rest of the matters related to marriage, this meeting is known as Fatiha where holy Quran is recited. It is a sort of religious ceremony. After fatiha, the men drink milk in beautifully decorated pottery cups (representing the culture of Berber people of Algeria) along with dates as a symbol of sweetness and various other dishes like olive tagine with grilled chicken, couscous with almonds and nuts, prune tagine with honey decorated with pineapples and roasted almonds etc. The fatiha ends with a mélange of traditional Arabian delicacies served along with tea. This all fills the whiff of happiness in the air. The food accompanies every stage of the Arabian marriage process. After corroboration of engagement, a legal contract is prepared by a religious man with twelve witnesses for the declaration of free consent of parties of the marriage. Long term shopping process started, known as shoura. Groom has to provide the bride dowry and the house to live in whereas the brides’ family furnishes the house with colorful fabrics, stuff and furniture keeping an eye on the traditions as well as viability. Things to wear at Turkish bath usually known as Hamam items are also purchased. The bride, being ultra-careful, chooses all her attires, even from the minutest

to the substantial items. It would not be wrong to say that one ceremonial day requires approximately one year preparations. On the wedding, the bride looks like a queen moving through the walkway, in her attractive, bright colored bridal dress - a two piece suit, showing mix of styles made from gold and silver fibers, studded with lustrous pearls and gems with Arabian style trousers. The groom has to gift the bride a set of seven bracelets or the Meskiyaa or a Khamsa which is a hand shaped pendant, is a notion to protect from the evil eye. The gold jewelry, highly influenced by Islamic designs, is an essential part of Arab weddings. A long necklace with an oval pendant, glaring ear rings and dazzling gold rings are often top of the list. Lanterns and candles are lit and melodies are played to lighten up and glorify the joys respectively. A day before the wedding, all the women gather for a henna party at the brides’house at the twilight. The grooms’ relatives bring a decorated basket of gifts and accessories for the bride, usually known as Atma, which is displayed before the guests. The mother-in-law used to put the freshly crushed henna mixture into the brides’ palm, sometimes along with a gold coin, in front of all guests and then covers the bride hand with an embroidered white cloth. Money and gold are considered as a symbol of happiness and gratitude for both families. In Arab culture, wedding should show a feature of generosity in all its aspects. A beautiful, slight, rhythmical dance is sometimes performed by young girls. Traditional food which includes desserts like baklava, makroud etc. is served after henna party. Grooms’ henna party takes place at his own home with tribal war dances; the

mother puts in some henna to his sons’ hand.

On the wedding day, the

armed horsemen charge and fire volleys in the air and enhance the beautification of extravaganzas’ night, following this tradition is considered important in most parts of the Arab as a sign of courage and valour whereas bride is taken to Hammam for the traditional bath and then taken to her house for futher embellishment. The food is served by the groom to the guests either at their home or at some hired venue. A lot of spicy and exotic dishes are cooked for the guests, which may include minced meatballs, roasted meat, and desserts especially with dates, almonds and honey. In past, the wedding ceremony used to last a week but now it is shrunken to only 24 hours due to great expenditures. The next step is the public appearance of the couple at the brides’ house with adjunction of melodious drum beats and music. At the modest Arab wedding, the bride may wear as many as seven different outfits , this is a kind of fashion parade, known as Tessdira. Then the bride leaves her parents’ house as a newly married status couple. While leaving the house, the bride walks over an egg as a good portent for a shinning future and throws sugar over the guests to sweeten her upcoming life. The couple in a car, moves through specific streets and takes souvenir photos at particular locations having close ties with the history and traditions. Both men and women dance on marriage ceremonies. Men used to wear a loose trousers and a white colored, linen, Gandoura robe as these men are knights more than dancers. Bride wears an outfit known as ‘lebset el-arftan’ consists of an embroidered Kaftan and the Chedda , made

with several layers of silk and accessories, a pointed cap, mendil and long khorsa earrings and leaves her parents’ house covered by a Hayek which is a long silk garment. At sunset, the couple is welcomed by the grooms’ family at his house and served with dates and milk as a good omen for the couple and brides’ warm welcome and the most recently married girls dance around the bride and sing traditional songs. Her mother-in-law draws red spots with white pin points on her cheeks. Red spots symbolize shyness whereas white pin points ideogram that the bride will bloom as a flower. The groom, covered in white silk burnous, usually used to sit on a white steed, which he later throws on his friends and his mother blesses him with khamsa, a pendant on his marriage. The brides’ covered face is then put to display by her husband in front of all family members and a family photo is taken. Sometimes, both of them are carried high on shoulders or made to sit on a pedestal. Everyone enjoys the ceremony’s live music and the grand feast. In American culture, marriages are far different from Arab culture as the twinkle differs from sunbeam. The ceremony of wedding takes place in a church and the consent of the parents is not required like Arabs, after adolescence or specific legal age limit. Marriage culture in U.S. has drastically changed over the years as per homosexual or inter racial marriages are concerened. Apart from fulfillment of some sexual and economic desires, some people in America want to have a green card fraudulently through marriage. In U.S., marriage can be a civil or domestic union or cohabitation. Marriage to the first cousin is not in normal practice

and is usually discouraged in America. Individuals don’t marry at young age and mostly delay and dalliance is observed before choosing life partners. Family approval has no significance in American culture. The young generation having affairs usually lives together for better understanding, for an indefinite period of time before they make up their minds to get marry with each other. This sort of behavior is impossible in Arab culture. There is a dating period in U.S. and no financial agreements among parents like discussion on dower is made during this time. Cohabitation and sexual activities

are

not

forbidden

during

this

period.

Americans

follow

monogamous marriage rule and one person at a time can only have one partner which in the case of Arabs is Polygyny and a man can have many wives. After contemplation during the dating period, if both agree to get marry, they formally announce their engagement. This happens if the man presents an engagement ring to the counterpart. The marriage ceremony occurs at a chapel or it may vary according to religion and a reception mostly in a big marriage hall. The bride wears an ivory colored dress with a veil as a symbol of purity and chastity. Bride usually carries a flower bouquet in her hands which shows her heart touching feelings about this newly married life. Different views are kept about it due to an amalgam of American culture with other cultures. Small girls sprinkle flowers throughout the bride walk way. Groom is not allowed to see the bride in her gown before wedding and it is considered as a bad omen. Official proclamation of marriage is done by saying specific words in front of the church father, groomsmen, a best man, a

maid of honor, and bridesmaids and, in the presence of all guests openly. The wedding ceremony mostly ends in 5 to 6 hours. Reception starts after the newly married spouses take pledge. A honeymoon is planned just after the marriage and the groom usually carries the bride throughout the doorway.

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