Franklin Dean
The Moors are an ethnic group speaking Hassaniya Arabic, who inhabit Mauritania and parts of Algeria, Western Sahara, Tunisia, Morocco, Niger, and Mali. The wedding customs of the Moors involve a procession of musicians playing pipes and drums, elders of the bride's family, and men carrying a paper box on long poles. The bride and groom do not see each other before the wedding, and on the wedding day, they eat together alone while family members wait outside, making loud music. To the Muslim Moors, there is no courtship before marriage, and the wedding arrangement is financial, with the groom's father paying the bride's father an agreed-upon sum. During the engagement, which must last several months, the bride is deliberately fattened as plumpness is considered fashionable.
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![The Knot Guide to Wedding Vows and Traditions [Revised Edition]: Readings, Rituals, Music, Dances, and Toasts](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81zk-i-TnpL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
What You'll Learn
The bride and groom do not meet before the wedding
In Moorish weddings, it is a custom for the bride and groom to have never met or seen each other before the wedding day. This tradition is not unique to Moorish weddings, with many other cultures historically practising this custom.
The origin of this custom is rooted in the historical prevalence of arranged marriages, where the wedding arrangement was mainly financial, serving as a business deal between families rather than a love match. The bride's father would receive a sum of money from the groom's father, and the bride, usually aged 13-15, would be deliberately fattened during the engagement as plumpness was considered fashionable.
To prevent the groom from backing out of the arrangement if he found the bride unattractive, the couple was deliberately kept apart until the wedding ceremony. The bride's face would be covered with a veil, only being uncovered once the groom had committed to the marriage. This belief led to the superstition that it is bad luck for the couple to see each other before the wedding, with some modern couples still adhering to this tradition.
In modern times, the tradition has evolved into the idea that couples should be surprised by each other's wedding attire, adding excitement to the big reveal at the altar. However, some couples opt to forgo this custom, finding that seeing each other before the ceremony calms their nerves.
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The wedding arrangement is mainly financial
For the Moors, a Muslim ethnic group inhabiting Mauritania and parts of Algeria, Western Sahara, Tunisia, Morocco, Niger, and Mali, marriage is a financial arrangement between the families of the bride and groom. The wedding customs are as follows: the bride and groom must not see each other before the wedding; the fathers of the bride and groom arrange the marriage; the bride is typically between 13 and 15 years old; the groom's father pays the bride's father a sum of money; the engagement lasts for several months, during which the bride is deliberately fattened, as plumpness is considered fashionable; and on the wedding day, the bride and groom eat together alone while family members wait outside, making loud music and noises.
Historically, the Moors were a Muslim population in Iberia (modern-day Spain and Portugal). They were expelled from the region in the late 15th and early 16th centuries due to the Christian Reconquista, which forced them to either convert to Christianity or leave. Today, the term "Moor" is used to refer to two distinct groups in Mauritania: the "'white Moors'" of Arab and Berber origin, and the "'black Moors,'" who are descendants of enslaved Haratines. While the two groups differ in their ethnic origins, they share a common Moorish language and culture due to the historical enslavement of the Haratines by the Moors.
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The bride is deliberately fattened during the engagement
In Moorish weddings, the bride and groom have never seen each other before the wedding day. When the groom arrives, the newlyweds eat together alone while the family members wait outside, making loud music and noises.
In Moorish culture, all marriages are arranged by the fathers of the bride and groom, with no courtship before the wedding. The bride is typically between 13 and 15 years old, and the wedding arrangement is primarily financial, with the groom's father paying the bride's father an agreed-upon sum. The engagement period lasts for several months, and during this time, the bride is deliberately fattened because, to Moroccans, plumpness is considered fashionable.
The Moor people are an ethnic group speaking Hassaniya Arabic and inhabiting Mauritania and parts of Algeria, Western Sahara, Tunisia, Morocco, Niger, and Mali. In Niger and Mali, they are also known as the Azawagh Arabs, named after the Azawagh region of the Sahara.
The wedding customs of the Moors are steeped in tradition, with specific rituals and beliefs surrounding the marriage ceremony. The deliberate fattening of the bride during the engagement period is a unique aspect of their wedding culture.
During the engagement, the bride is deliberately fattened, a practice rooted in the belief that plumpness is a sign of beauty and status. It suggests that the family can provide abundantly for the bride and that she will be a prosperous wife and mother. This tradition also symbolises the transition to womanhood and the expectation that the bride will become a mother soon after marriage.
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Musicians play a big part in the ceremony
Musicians play a big part in Moorish wedding ceremonies. They lead the wedding procession, playing shrill pipes and beating small drums like tambourines. They also provide entertainment while the bride and groom eat together alone, with the family members waiting outside, shrieking and making loud music.
The musicians are interspersed with other participants in the procession, including elders (bearded men) from the bride's family, a woman dressed in a red-and-white striped cloth, and men carrying a paper box on long poles.
The bride and groom stand on opposite sides of the altar during the ceremony, with the groom on the right and the bride on the left. This tradition has continued from the Middle Ages.
In Moorish weddings, the bride and groom have never seen each other before the wedding day. The wedding is arranged by the fathers, with no courtship beforehand, and the bride is typically between 13 and 15 years old. The groom's father pays the bride's father a sum of money, and the engagement lasts for several months. During this time, the bride is deliberately fattened, as plumpness is considered fashionable.
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The wedding procession includes elders of the bride's family
In a Moorish wedding procession, musicians play pipes and beat small drums like tambourines to create a festive atmosphere. The elders of the bride's family, who are traditionally bearded, are included in the procession. A woman dressed in a red-and-white striped cloth also joins the procession, carrying large green and yellow candles aloft. More musicians follow, along with eight men carrying a paper box on long poles.
The bride and groom do not see each other before the wedding day. When the groom arrives, the couple eats together alone while the family members wait outside, making loud noises and playing music. The wedding is arranged by the fathers, and the groom's father pays the bride's father a sum of money. The engagement period lasts for several months, during which the bride is deliberately fattened as plumpness is considered fashionable.
On the wedding day, the groom stands on the right side of the altar, while the bride stands on the left. This tradition has persisted through the centuries, from the Middle Ages to the present day. The specific placement of the bride and groom symbolises the beliefs and traditions associated with Moorish weddings.
The inclusion of elders in the wedding procession is a sign of respect and a way to honour the family's heritage and traditions. They play a crucial role in blessing the union and ensuring that the wedding follows the customs and rituals passed down through generations.
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Frequently asked questions
A moorish wedding is a traditional wedding ceremony of the Moors, a specific ethnic group speaking Hassaniya Arabic and inhabiting Mauritania and parts of Algeria, Western Sahara, Tunisia, Morocco, Niger, and Mali.
Some customs of a moorish wedding include musicians playing shrill pipes and beating small drums, elders of the bride's family, and men carrying a paper box on long poles. The bride and groom do not see each other until the wedding day. On this day, they eat together alone while family members wait outside, shrieking and playing loud music.
In the pre-engagement period, there is no courtship before marriage. The wedding arrangement is made by the fathers, with the groom's father paying the bride's father a sum of money. The bride is typically between 13 and 15 years old.
The engagement period must last for several months. During this time, the bride is deliberately fattened as plumpness is considered fashionable.
On the wedding day, the groom stands on the right side of the altar while the bride stands on the left.
