In parts of Afghanistan like Kabul, it’s traditional for families to hold three events: first, a pre-wedding party for the women; then the giant wedding party; and last, a smaller party for the bride’s family.
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Who pays for an Afghan wedding?
Weddings are hugely expensive affairs in Afghanistan, with excessive costs for wedding halls, lavish meals and usually a bride price. The bride price is the money paid by the groom’s family for the bride to her family.
What gift do you give for an Afghan wedding?
Family members tend to give money and gold, while friends give household items, cloth etc. If you are like a sister or brother in the family, and so expected to give a gift, then you should give gold on the night of the wedding.
How much does a wedding cost in Afghanistan?
In addition, the groom is required to pay for a lavish wedding banquet and a string of wedding-related parties. The ministry estimates that the average Afghan family spends up to $15,000 in wedding costs.
What color do Afghan brides wear?
In the amazing Afghan culture, women must wear either a green or red dress on their wedding day. The one that is most often seen is green which symbolizes wealth and good fortune. Green is also the main color of the fields surrounding Afghanistan due to its vividness and abundance throughout all seasons.
How long does an Afghan wedding last?
Afghan weddings last 4–5 hours or longer because many traditions have to be observed. First, girls wait at the hall entrance for guests to arrive and greet them as they enter. As is customary at weddings, the guests arrive before the bride and groom.
What happens at an Afghan wedding?
The bride and groom sit together on a decorated sofa, and the party begins. People listen to music, drink fresh juices, and eat traditional desserts. A wedding cake is cut and tasted by the couple first, and then distributed to guests. Towards the end of the party, a traditional Afghan dance is performed.
Do they wear wedding rings in Afghanistan?
Many a wealthy prospective groom in Kabul, Afghanistan is now presenting a Western engagement ring to his bride. Men who can afford it are wearing gold or silver wedding bands.
What is a Shirni tray?
Beautiful shirni (engagement) tray. . In Afghan tradition when the girls family agree to a. marriage proposal they give a beautifully decorated. tray filled with nuqul (traditional sugar coated.
What should Afghan guests serve?
A visiting guest will always be served tea or some refreshment. If the weather is hot, sometimes a cold drink will be brought right away. Then later, tea will be served together with something to eat, such as nuts and raisins, or biscuits and cookies.
What are some Afghanistan traditions?
Some of the most important include Eid al-Fitr (end of Ramadan), Eid al-Adha, Ashura, and Mawlid, while the religious minorities of Afghanistan celebrate holidays unique to their respective religion.
What is taboo Afghanistan?
No meat, no rice, no vegetables, nor sour foods; no drinking of cold water; no sitting on wet ground; and no washing. These are among the commonplace myths surrounding menstruation in Afghanistan, where the topic is taboo and girls soon learn to see it as something negative, shameful or dirty.
Who pays the bride price?
bridewealth, also called bride-price or marriage payment, payment made by a groom or his kin to the kin of the bride in order to ratify a marriage. In such cultures, a marriage is not reckoned to have ended until the return of bridewealth has been acknowledged, signifying divorce.
Who pays the dowry?
A dowry is a payment, such as property or money, paid by the bride’s family to the groom or his family at the time of marriage. Dowry contrasts with the related concepts of bride price and dower.
What is the average age of marriage in Afghanistan?
In Afghanistan, 57% of girls are married before they are 19. The most common ages for girls to get married are 15 and 16. Factors such as gender dynamics, family structure, cultural, political, and economic perceptions/ideologies all play a role in determining if a girl is married at a young age.
What is a henna night?
Henna-night is a ceremony, steeped in history and folklore, in whic the family of the bride-to-be gives her away to the family of the groom. Henna night, as the most colorful part of a series of wedding rituals, was for centuries one of the central “rites of passage” for the peoples of Anatolia of the Ottoman Empire.
How many wives can a man have in Afghanistan?
The country, which is an ‘Islamic emirate’ governed under Sharia laws, allows for men to have up to four wives. Polygamy is widely practiced in Afghanistan. The absence of offspring from the first marriage is believed to be the primary reason Afghan men take multiple wives.
What are Afghan dresses called?
Most women wear a hijab or chador as a covering. Some wear a chadari, better known in the West as burqa. In a few places like Kabul, Western dresses like jeans are often worn.
Can you drink alcohol in Afghanistan?
Afghanistan is one of 16 countries in the world where the drinking of alcoholic beverages at any age is illegal for most of its citizens. Violation of the law by locals is subject to punishment in accordance with the Sharia law. Drinkers can be fined, imprisoned or prescribed 60 lashes with whip.
What is most important to Afghan families?
One’s family is the single most important aspect of life in Afghanistan. Afghan culture is very collectivistic and people generally put their family’s interests before their own. This means that family responsibilities tend to hold a greater importance than personal needs.
What is a Khastegari?
Khastegāri (Persian: خواستگاری) is the first step of the traditional Iranian courtship process. In olden times, when it was time for a young man to get married, his family would look for potential brides who came from families of similar standing in the community.
What is a LAFZ?
The ceremony “Lafz” (“giving word”) is when the father of the bride formally accepts the proposal and both fathers give small speeches to thank and honor each other.
What is Shirini Khori?
For example engagement parties are called “Shirini Khori” which is when the woman’s family accepts the suitor and provides an engagement sweet tray to the grooms family. People will give Shirini to relatives and those close after a wedding too in celebration similar to bonbonnieres.
What is considered rude in Afghan culture?
The thumbs-up gesture is considered rude and has the same connotation as raising one’s middle finger for traditional Afghans. The “OK” sign with the hand can symbolise the evil eye or something more lewd. Stroking one’s beard or pounding a fist into one’s hand may signify revenge.
What are two popular drinks in Afghanistan?
What are two popular drinks in Afghanistan? Two of the most popular drink in Afghanistan are Chai, an Indian tea, and dugh, which is made of yogurt, mint, salt, and rose water. 2.