Re: Grandmother's Secrets

Posted by CAtherine Cartwright Jones on March 05, 2000 at 17:26:34:

In Reply to: Grandmother's Secrets posted by Michelle on March 05, 2000 at 15:18:01:

Does that book generally seem to be authentic and scholarly or
is it ronamtic wishful thinking? That menstrual ritual doesn't sound
like anythng I've ever run across in the last hundred or so books I've
been through that covered similar material ....

I see elements of bridal celebration there, scraps of traditional
elements .... but on the whole that Menstruation dance pretty
fictional.

Does the author give a specific time and place where this was done?
Century, tribe, country? Resource material? Informant? Bibliography?

It would be lovely if such a thing had been done, but the response to
a first menstrual period in traditional henna using contries up to
this century was largely an accute sense of urgency about getting the
girl married before she embarrassed the family. At best, she got a
trip to the hammam (and that was nice) and shown to the marriage
broker if a cousin wasn't already lined up. Also .... unmarried women
are forbidden to put on henna in most of the traditions ... very, very
unlucky to do so.

Follow-ups:

• Re: Grandmother's Secrets Natasha Papousek 19:20:09 3/05/00 (1)
  • Re: Grandmother's Secrets Catherine Cartwright Jones 23:08:03 3/05/00 (0)