Henna Night for Turkish Brides

  Henna Night remains one of the most treasured bridal traditions in Turkey. As with the Turkish Bridal Bath, it appears to have inspired aspects of the modern bachelorette party. One or two nights before the wedding, the bride and her closest female friends and family members gather for a celebration of her last hours as a maiden.  

Symbolism of Henna

As a sign of sacrifice, henna is applied ritually on three occasions in the Turkish culture. They apply the herb on animals before sacrifice, on military trainees in dedication to their country, and on brides- and grooms-to-be. (source) Once applied to a bride's hands and feet, the henna imbues her with the fertility and abundance of Earth’s soil. She is ready to receive the perfect seed of her husband, to bear his children and further the family legacy. (source) Since henna smelled heavenly (to the Turks), it stood in contrast to regular dirt, which often smelled foul on account of all the livestock they raised. The rituals of Henna Night symbolize purity, procreation, and possibly even the surrender of the bride's virginity. (source)    

Preparations Are Made

According to Turkish customs, the groom’s family supplies the henna for their new daughter-in-law. On the night before the ritual, the groom’s mother mixes the henna and covers it with a ceremonial embroidered cloth. Left overnight, the dye sets. The next evening, the groom and his family bring the bowl to the bride’s home. Meanwhile, the bride’s mother, sisters, and close female friends help the bride prepare. She wears a ceremonial velvet gown, as well as a full veil flecked with red. (source) They hang a flag on the porch to alert the villagers that the wedding has officially begun. Then, they fill their home with the sound of music and merriment, offering their guests dried fruit and juice for refreshment. As soon as she is ready, the bride is escorted by her mother and sisters to the bed, where she awaits the arrival of her future mother-in-law.    

Henna Night Rituals

First, the guests darken the room and sink lit candles into the henna paste. The glowing paste is then brought out and presented to the bride with song. At this point, the mood turns somber. Ritually, the groom’s female family members perform a mock struggle with the bride. While she holds her hands in a fist, they attempt to pry her fingers open. Eventually, she surrenders and they thrust a coin into her hand. Symbolizing the acceptance of her groom and her new role as wife, this ritual signals the beginning of her mother’s lament. From here forward, as the groom’s family applies henna to her hands and feet, the bride’s mother wails and cries. Meanwhile, the remaining guests sing laments over her. Finally, after applying the henna, the groom’s family wraps the bride's hands and feet in lamb’s wool and shrouds them with satin mitts for her to wear all night. Next, they lay her down in the bed and sing lullabies to her until she falls asleep for the last time in her mother’s home. (source) ~Angela Magnotti Andrews