The Duhun, like the circumcision ceremony, lasts a whole week, occasioning great expense to the parents, who, however, cannot possibly avoid it, and often incur debts for its celebration that hang heavily upon them through life.
The customs connected with weddings differ according to the district in which they take place. In Macedonia I was highly amused to see the manner in which the bride was introduced into her new home. As soon as her feet had crossed the threshold, a halter was thrown round her neck and she was dragged in by her husband, to teach her an early lesson of gentle four-footed obedience; on passing the first hearth-stone her head was brought into violent contact with the wall, as a warning of the chastisement she may expect in case of misconduct.
Her face is a mask of gold-dust and gum worked on the cheeks, forehead, and chin with spangles. The eyebrows are thickly painted and meet over the nose, and the teeth are blackened. This hideous disguisement is worn till evening, when the bridegroom, on his first visit to the bride, pours out the water with which she washes it away in order to give the nuptial kiss.
The wedding festivities begin on the Monday. A number of friends and relatives collect at the home of the bride to superintend the final arrangement and expedition of the trousseau to the bridegroom’s house. This luggage is carried by Hammals, who, on arrival at the house, are entitled beside their fee to a chevré, or marked handkerchief offered by the mother. They are preceded on their march by the Koulavouz, who delivers their burdens into the charge of the mother-in-law or some responsible person. Shortly afterwards, the bride’s party follows, who after partaking of coffee and bonbons are shown by the hanoum into the apartments destined for the occupation of the bride.
It is customary for Turkish youths who have homes to take their wives to them on marrying. Should the Konak be too small to accommodate all the married sons, extra wings are added to it. The guests, left to themselves, at once set to work to decorate the bridal chamber, some stretching strings along the walls on which to hang the larger articles of dress, such as furred and embroidered jackets, feridjés, cloaks, and intaris, all of bright colors, and richly worked and trimmed. The shawls, prayer carpet, and bridal boghcha, all objects of value, occupy the centre of these rows, which are successively surmounted by others, consisting of the linen, kerchiefs, towels, head scarves, and other adjuncts of the toilet, all arranged with great taste. Along the top of the walls runs a garland of crape flowers. The bride’s corner is richly decorated with these and other artificial flowers, arranged in the form of a bower. This promiscuous exhibition of silk gauze and various stuffs, intermingled with embroidery in variegated silks, gold, and silver, is most striking in effect, and forms, with the bridal bower, a sight peculiarly Oriental and gorgeous. The alcove is reserved for the display of jewels and other precious objects placed under glass shades.
When this adornment (which takes up the whole night) is completed, the party goes to the next room and arranges the furniture sent for it, thence proceeding to the hall and unpacking the bedding, which, placed against the walls upon the empty cases, forms a huge mass of colored strata of silk, embroidery, and bright cotton print. One or two little stools of walnut wood, inlaid with mother-of-pearl, support the candelabra, and the hochaf tray with its prettily cut crystal bowl and ivory spoons would be placed in front, together with the brooms, dustpan of walnut wood inlaid with silver, both patterns of the same materials, and the kitchen utensils, mangals, and all other belongings of the bride.
On Tuesday the bride is taken to the bath with great ceremony, the expenses on this occasion being defrayed by the bridegroom. Before leaving the bath the bride is led three times round the centre platform, kisses hands all round, and goes out to be dressed. The clothes she wears on this occasion must not belong to her.
On Wednesday, the bridegroom’s party of lady friends go in a body to the home of the bride, preceded by the Koulavouz, who announces their arrival with an air of great importance. Violent confusion ensues; the mother, followed by her friends, descends the staircase. They form a double row, each couple conducting a visitor between them, beginning with the bridegroom’s mother, and proceed upstairs into apartments specially reserved for the friends of the bridegroom, who do not mix with the bride’s party on this occasion. When their veils and cloaks have been removed they seat themselves round the room and partake of bitter coffee and cigarettes, followed half an hour later by sweet coffee. The bride is led into the room by two hanoums who have only been married once, and kisses the hands of all present, beginning with her future mother-in-law, and terminating with the youngest child in the room. She is then seated on a chair near her Kayn Validé, who is allowed on this occasion to take her by her side for a few minutes only, during which masticated sugar is exchanged between them as a token of future harmony. The bride is then taken away, excused by some insipid remarks on the expiring rights of maternal possession over her.
The dancing girls and musicians are now called in and perform before the company, receiving money from each person as they leave the room in order to entertain the other party of guests. When the bridegroom’s friends are about to leave they throw small coins over the head of the bride, who is led down to the door for the purpose. The scramble that ensues among the hawkers of sweets, fruits, etc., assembled in the court, the children, the beggars, and innumerable parasites crowding houses during the celebration of a wedding, is beyond description.
Before departure an invitation is given for the evening to take part in the Kena, an entertainment more especially designed for the bride and her maiden friends. When the company is assembled, tapers are handed to each, and a procession formed, headed by the bride, and accompanied by the dancing girls and music. They descend the staircase into the garden, and wind among the flower-beds and groves of trees. The lights, the gay dresses, flashing jewels, and floating hair of the girls, the bright castanets, and the wild songs and weird music of the accompanyists, combine to form a glimpse of fairy-land, or a dream of “The Thousand and One Nights.”