Cultural Cultivation and Assimilation

Layla Odeh

Growing up, I remember cringing whenever a family event approached, specifically a wedding. I always would think of a classic couple of questions: “Who are these people?” and “When are we going home?” All the memories I have from weddings or related events would come from photographs, not memories from my personal experience. Yet, I remember experiencing my first traditional Palestinian event from the comfort of my own home at about eleven years old.

My cousin was getting engaged to a Palestinian whose family was deeply rooted in tradition. I was in awe of the amount of gold presented to her and the traditional dresses his sisters, aunts, and mother had worn for the occasion. The house was bustling with pride and joy as the DJ played Arabic music while the women chimed in by singing folk songs. I remember backyard gatherings afterwards filled with laughter and the taste of mansaf upon my lips as our families got to know one another. Such occasions became more than a matter of photos for me and instead led to a desire to look deeper into these traditions.

When it comes to sticking to tradition from a Palestinian perspective, the timeline leading up to marriage entails many customs passed on from generation to generation. The happiness which resonates from these customs and traditions manifests the joyous spirits of our ancestors. Its ordained and detailed planning makes for years of memories to come.

In the time leading up to the wedding, both sides of the family meet up and get to know one another. Whether it's participating in late-night gettogethers called sahra or engaging in last-minute shopping for wedding decorations, it is an opportunity to make arrangements that further their bonds with one another. Yet, the wedding is not the only occasion in need of extravagance.

There are many traditions that characterize a Palestiniain wedding. A Palestinian marriage could not get underway without the joyous sounds of the ululation or zaghareet. Zaghareet expresses the happiness and joy felt by both sides of the family, specifically of the women as they are usually the ones performing the zaghareet. It typically symbolizes the commencement of the celebration or event.

Henna is a popular art observed by multiple cultures, mainly Indian, Pakistani, and various African communities. For Palestinian wedding ceremonial events, the henna designs are simple patterns, yet extremely intricate at the same time. Henna is applied during the Henna night, which occurs the night before the wedding ceremony and is a gathering involving food and dancing. The women dance in harmony to old folk songs while some decorate the bride’s hand with intricate patterns of henna.

As mesmerizing as the henna is to guests, the traditional dress, or thobe, worn by the bride for the occasion is expected to be more mesmerizing. The Palestinian thobe displays a sense of affinity to the bride’s identity through its embroidered patterns, or tatreez, typically in black and red. In older generations, the thobe represented the bride’s social class in heritage, ancestry, and affiliations. Some brides wear ones passed down to them from their mother or grandmother.

The bride must look her best at such events mentioned above, and the guests make it a priority to look their absolute best as well. Women sometimes

“Gold necklaces, bracelets, and anklets are commonly worn to events such as the henna night and wedding and are worn by women from both sides of the family. “

adorn themselves in traditional dresses accompanied by embellished headdresses. The most common headdress worn is called al-suffeh and is lined with gold coins all around the head. If the emphasis on adornment was not enough within the clothing, its importance in jewelry particularly sets apart the Palestinian customs of wedding events from other countries. Jewelry and other accessories play an important role in Palestinian women's attire. Gold necklaces, bracelets, and anklets are commonly worn to events such as the henna night and wedding and are worn by women from both sides of the family. It is also a common Palestinian tradition that gold is gifted to the bride as wishes of extended health, happiness, and prosperity from the groom's and her families. The gift of gold is symbolic because there is no exchanging of rings in traditional Palestinian weddings.

When the wedding ceremony arrives, the bride and groom's entrance is met with a zaffeh. The zaffeh formally announces that the marriage celebration is about to begin and is the first moment the groom sees the bride in her wedding dress. A parade of family members of women performing the Zaghareet and men playing the tablah or Middle Eastern percussion instrument make up the zaffeh. Yet, the tablahs and zaghareet are not the only means of expression that engulf the guests with excitement. Dabke, a Levantine folk dance, is a combination of line dancing and circle dancing often performed at Palestinian weddings. The men link hands in celebration and perform synchronized footwork, specifically stomping, while oftentimes rotating in circular motions. A tablah is also the center of attention because it creates the rhythm to be followed in the synchronization present in dabke.

The Palestinian tradition is seen most prominently in such joyous occasions as weddings, yet preserving customs and embracing the beauty of them in other ways is something to keep in mind. Tradition serves as a connection to the ancestors one never had the chance to meet first hand; instead, their stories and memories are passed down to generations to teach identity. As the Palestinian diaspora only continues to grow in the West, keeping the culture alive becomes more imperative. Young members of the Palestinian diaspora must increase their knowledge of tradition and history to preserve our identity. If members within the community become more proactive in educating themselves, the knowledge can expand beyond the diaspora and help make more allies.

Growing up in a suburb which lacked diversity, I often found myself incorporating my identity into projects and conversations to educate my peers and friends at school on the subject of Palestine and my identity as a Palestinian. When I was younger, I remember being shy each time I had to present or create a project about my heritage because no one was familiar with Palestine. By sticking with my parents and allowing them to assist in these projects, their joy and pride in their Palestinian heritage would kindle my own admiration in the years to come.

Instead of complaining about having to attend weddings for my family members or drive a distance away to attend a community event, I learned over the years that moments like these are the ones my ancestors would have taken pride in. As such, I envision what I would want future generations of the diaspora to know and take from their Palestinian identity.

Artwork by Melina Sobi IG: melinasobi.art