2007-11-13, Nubian Wedding

It is modern, yet firmly rooted in the past, the Nubian wedding ritual shared by the entire village for seven days and nights. The air is perfumed by incense 1 and filled with the sound of beating drums and joyful 2 Nubian songs. Two years ago, Sherrie's family told him it was time to get married. He visited every home in the village, looking for the right girl. Then with one look at Abier, he ran home to tell his mother he had found his bride. They didn't meet again until just before their Muslim wedding.

The first time I saw her when the sheriff came to sign the book, I looked at her picture to make sure it was her.

After the legal papers are signed, 7 days of celebration begin. Each day early in the morning, the party spills into the village streets. The bride becomes a canvas, painted from head to toe with henna. One day before the ceremony, the groom 3's bed is taken outside to be bathed in sandalwood incense. Sherrie is also perfumed. The scents 4 which will last for weeks are meant to get his blood moving and give him stamina 5. The Nubians traditionally lived along the banks of the Nile River in what is now southern Egypt and Sudan. But in the 1960s, that changed. In Egypt, the Nubian population was moved by the Egyptian government and their ancient lands were flooded when the Aswan Dam was built. Muhammad Newer migrated here at the age of 12. His family left their mud-brick home for one of cement built by the government.

Even though they were in new village, there was no electricity or means of transportation like we have here now. Still, life there was better. There we used to keep our Nubian traditions and Nubian language. Nubian language could be endangered here today.

On the final night of the wedding, the village is served a feast of meat and rice in front of the groom's house. Armed with a sword and whip, the groom leaves his parents' home and leads his neighbors through the streets, chanting Islamic songs. Well after midnight, the groom at last picks up the bride and they arrive at the party. They spend all night dancing and singing from sunset to noon. The word Nubia derives 6 from an ancient term for gold and refers to the gold mines for which the area was once famous. That gold still shines today as the bride is draped with jewelry 7 as if she were royalty 8. It's now past three in the morning. But by Nubian standards, the party has just begun. After the exchange of rings, mother kisses her son and his new bride as they begin their life together, carrying on their ancient customs. Egyptian by nationality, but Nubian by tradition.