Re: Men and Henna
Posted by Roy Jones on March 17, 1998 at 16:33:35:
In Reply to: Men and Henna posted by Tommy on March 16, 1998 at 20:55:18:
Across North Africa there are cultures that paint men as well as women
as a part of their marriage celebrations.
Tuareg grooms will have the palms of their hands and the soles of
their feet painted with henna by a female member of the community who
is considered a skillful magician. The hands and feet are then wrapped
in palm fronds to keep the henna in contact with the skin as long as
possible before removing it.
A Berber bridegroom men will have his hands painted by his best man in
a ceremony that ends with each of the men of his wedding party taking
turns dancing in front of him with the henna bowl on his head. The
last man, after finishing his dance, throws the henna bowl to the
ground, breaking it to banish evil spirits.
Through much of the Arabic-speaking world, henna is said to have
"baraka," a word that meand "blessing." Being painted with henna
confers baraka to the wearer and is considered a protection against
evil.
It's worth noting that Tuareg men, who believe in the protective
powers of henna, wear long concealing gowns and turbans, and keep
their faces veiled much of the time. They put the henna on the only
parts of their bodies that are normally uncovered...their hands and
feet.
Roy