Qashqai Weeding Traditions

Qashqai Culture

Existence of different ethnic groups in Iran has made different cultures. One of the groups of people in Iran who have their own cultures in different parts are Qashqai. In this post, we want to familiarize you with wedding traditions of these people. Stay with DornaTrip.

Introduction

Race of the most of Qashqai people is Turk and they are Shia Muslims and speak in Turkish dialect.

Marriage

According to the belief of Qashqai people, marriage is holy and if a person is single, it’s kind of sin. Patriarchy is common between Qashqai people. Children and women should obey their fathers and husbands. Having more than 1 wife in life is unpleasant only in 2 ways.

1. If a woman is infertile
2. If all of the children of man are girl

Between Qashqais, getting divorce is a highly negative action.

Matchmaking

Matchmakers in the families are mothers of sons. The best time for matchmaking between Qashqai people is during ceremonies. Bride should be younger than groom. After first acceptation of son, mother of boy asks questions from the girl’s relatives to know more about bride. She shares her ideas about family of the girl. Then it’s role of deans to know more about matchmaking and try to get satisfaction.

Scarf with Ring

After agreements, females of boy’s family give expensive scarf with ring to the girl’s family as a gift. This is a kind of ceremony known as a scarf with ring.

Dowry and Bride wealth

There are 6 groups between Qashqais that have different Dowry and bride wealth. Bride wealth could be 100 sheep, camels and horses.

A Day Before Weeding ceremony

Before marriage, Qashqais believe that they can realize which day is more fortunate based on astronomy. Place for holding marriage ceremony is house of bride’s father. Groom should pay costs of ceremony and bride’s family pay cost of food.

1. Preparing Place for Ceremony

Ceremonies are usually held in grasslands and tents in there. The tents are decorated with different colors.

2. Pressing Rice

One of the traditions of Qashqai people is pressing rice in a big pot.

3. Making Flour

They grind wheat and transfer them by a donkey. Women are rulers of baking bread for ceremony.

4. Go for Shopping

Some of Qashqai people go to the cities for buying tobaccos, tea, rice and etc.

5. Preparing Tools for Cooking

Qashqai people cook food by putting the pot on firing woods.

6. Preparing Sticks for Dancing

One of the traditions of Qashqai people is dancing with sticks. They dance with sticks in their hands and hit the sticks.

7. Hiring Musicians

Musicians of Qashqai are using drum and fife for wedding party.

8. Inviting Guests
9. Taking Dowries for Bride

Day of Ceremony

1. Taking Bride

In this step, musicians with guests go to bride’s tent and take her to groom with horse and dowries. Qashqai brides don’t have makeup and just wear weeding clothes.

2. Saying Goodbye

Bride says goodbye to her family after dinner. She put small pieces of bread, salt and ash in a handkerchief. Then stick it to her waist. She turns around a stove for three time and kisses Quran. This tradition shows her thank because of her father’s and mother’s works.

3. Entering Bride to Bridal Chamber

When bride reaches the bridal chamber, groom visits her and gives her coins for letting her get off the horse.

4. Music of Weeding
5. Dancing with Handkerchief
6. Gheyghaj Game

A kind of game played in 3 steps

1. 1. Two bullets with a gun given to the horseman and he or she should shoot the sign in roll-back time.
   2. Horseman turns the saddle and pick it on his or her hands. If fell down, he or she is loser.
   3. Gheyghaj: horseman should cross over 10 sticks by horse in a zigzag way.

      7. Playing with Sticks in Dances

8. Flatten The Tablecloth
9. Starting First Day of Marriage

One of the deans take groom and bride in a tent and put their hands together. It’s showing starting of the first day of marriage. In the next days, guests continue dancing, but bride and groom don`t. At the end, the family of two sides give gifts to the couple.