Lovely Land‘s birth, wedding and, death
Once upon a time, an imaginary character LOVELY LAND *sLOVakia – turkEy - itaLY and poLAND* lived in a magic land far away.
When she was born, a pink bow was hanged on the door (Italian tradition) and her grandfather called her name and read God is the greatest, God is the greatest ‌into her left ear. Her first food was the softened date fruit. It was applied on her lips only. (Turkish tradition) Her parents made a pink birth cake (Slovakia tradition) and they brought gifts. (Turkish, Slovakia, Polish, Italian traditions) and pink baby candies (Turkish traditions) and sugar coated pills (Italian tradition).
A priest poured holy water into her head (Italian, Slovakia and
Polish tradition). Also, the female guests were served postpartum syrup involving a special mixture (Turkish tradition).
When Lovely Land turned a 40 days baby. Her mom put 40 rocks, 40 mountain flowers, silver and gold into a
cup and boiled it. After it got warm, she washed her with this water. She poured 39 spoons of this water. The 40th time the rest of the water was poured on her. (Turkish tradition)
When the first tooth of Lovely came out her mother made a mixture with nuts, peanuts, almonds and stuff like this for
her and the guests. Also, she put different materials scissors, comb, pencil on a tray that symbolize different careers.Whatever the baby chooses it symbolizes his or her career in future. Lovely touched pencil. ď Š (Turkish Tradition)
LOVELY LAND IS GETTING MARRIED. When she grew up, she met a man and fell
in love with him. She wanted to marry her. First, her fiance and his family went to her house to meet her
family and brought a bunch of roses and a packet of chocolate. (Turkish Tradition)
Lovely Land and her beloved worn their first ring as a promise of their future wedding. After a short visit, her fiance and his family left her home. After a few weeks, they got engaged. They worn another ring (Turkish Tradition) Lovely Land and her family organized an engagement party in which they and the visitors ate a big cake.
Then she organized a henna night in which she and their female friends entertain together, her fiance brought cookies etc into Lovely Land’s home for henna night. She worn a red dress and played traditional dances. (Turkish Tradition)
Lovely worn her blue rings for she believed that blue symbolized her loyalty to her husband, she worn her new shoes thinking new thing means abundance and she worn her old bracelet thinking its giving friendship and support aspect. Finally, she took a borrowed hairpin symbolising a favour (Polish Tradition) While going to the wedding party, Lovely realised that she left her necklace at home, but she did not come back home to get it because she thought coming back home on the way of wedding party road meant bad luck. (Polish Tradition)
At their wedding party, Lovely Land held her beloved’s hand and said “yes” before the marriage official. Some guests presented golden gifts, bracelet, necklace etc. (Turkish Tradition) Guests sprinkled rice on the couple. (Polish and Italian Tradition) They and their guests tasted the wedding cake. (Turkish, Polish, Slovakia, and Italian Tradition) Young couple flew pidgeons. (Polish Tradition)
At the end of the ceremony, the bride throws her bouquet of flowers towards single women. According to the tradition the woman who takes the bouquet will have the chance to be the next to marry. (Italian and Polish Tradition) Groom moved Lovely over the threshold. (Polish tradition)
Lovely passed away When she got older, she felt weak. She tought that she lived a nice life in which there are many favours. She believed that only her good deeds were her friends in the graveyard.
She was thinking about death frequently, and one day she could not wake up. Her relatives washed her. (Turkish tradition) And neighbours, relatives came to her
house, halwa (a kind of sweet) was served to the guests. (Turkish tradition)
Before she is wrapped with a white cloth. (Turkish Tradition) and put a knife over her body. (Turkish Tradition) She is anointed on the forehead and hands with blessed oil - olive oil or other vegetable oil. (Italian Tradition) Her friends and relatives carry flowers and wear black bow and black clothes. (Polish Tradition).
She was buried and her relatives planted a tree beside the cemetery also, made a place for birds to drink water, they believed that birds, beings living on the tree and people who rest under its shadow would pray for her. (Turkish Tradition) They watered the soil on the cemetery and left. (Turkish tradition) and some friends of her put flowers on it. (Polish Tradition) After everybody left, Imam stayed and kept on praying for her. (Turkish tradition) Then he left, too.
To be continued‌
Lovely Land‘s birth, wedding and, death
Episode II