The Man with the Black Suitcase | Not Forgotten International

I have five Saharawi host sisters. The second oldest one recently got married. Almost one month later we are still on a wedding high. Just a few days ago we finally got to watch the video from the wedding, after finally finding a VCR that worked. Yes, that?s right, I said VCR!

I?d been to several weddings here before, but this time one of my own hosts was getting married and I got an inside scoop to what really goes on behind the scenes. I?m used to weddings in the states. You know?there is usually a wedding coordinator, a ceremony at a church or other location, reception to follow with food and maybe a little dancing, ?there?s a pastor or officiator to perform the ceremony, and out of town guests usually stay at a hotel or a few stay with family. Just one afternoon or evening and then it?s a wrap.

Sahara weddings are a little different. There?s no wedding coordinator.? Every able-bodied person you can find chips in to help build tents, donate pots, tea sets and?burners. Family and?friends cook, serve food and clean. There is no ceremony, just dancing, eating and tea making. The day of the wedding the family of the bride and groom sit with an Imam (Islamic pastor) to sign papers to seal the deal. There isn?t just one reception; there are three days of reception. In fact, the bride and groom?don?t even attend the majority of the festivities that take place in the tent. Out of town guest sleep in the tent in the evenings for two nights or anywhere else they can find in your house. We had about one hundred people in every corner of our house. There are no hotels. And weddings here last three days.

On day one of the wedding, people gather in the tent in the afternoon and wait for the groom and his family to bring everything that the newlyweds will need for their new home. While everything is being loaded off the truck, women from the bride?s family serve camel milk and dates to the groom?s family and friends, welcoming them to their home. Then everyone transitions to the tent for tea and snacks. Plates prepared the night before with popcorn and sweet treats are quickly gobbled up. Then someone turns on the boom box to play local traditional Saharawi music and women get up three or four at a time to show off their very best dance moves.

Day one belongs to the bride?s family since their home is where the wedding is held, it?s their job to entertain the guests. They do all the cooking of the meals. It?s their day to put on the party in the tent, usually with a boom box (sometimes there?s a singer) and of course, dancing. And that night the bride?s family hosts a party for the groom and his entourage with tea making and snacks. One of my favorite parts is when one of the groom?s entourage carries a black suitcase. His job is to hold onto this suitcase and randomly give out candy to those who come to the groom to congratulate him. ?Much later that night the groom visits his bride for the first time. But they are not alone, each with their entourage accompanying them.

Day two belongs to the groom?s family. It?s their day to entertain the guests. They cook all the meals. It?s their day to put on the tent party, usually with a live singer, and of course more dancing. In the afternoon lunch is held for the bride and her entourage. ?There?s tea making, snacks, a boom box and more dancing. Later that night they will host another party for the bride and her entourage with tea making, snacks and of course more dancing. ?That same night the groom?s entourage builds the tent that the newlyweds will be living in. Women usually like to stay living close to their family. In this case, my host sister had her tent built right behind our room.

On day three the tent comes down, the groom heads home to enjoy lunch with his family and the bride is left to enjoy a nice quiet lunch with her family and friends?in the new tent. Then later that night the groom will come back to join his bride and finally have their first night alone together. That is once everyone finally decides to leave their tent I got a picture of the bride and groom just before I left them that third night. This is the first picture of the happy couple after the three day wedding is finally over. I am truly happy for them. My new brother in law is ?good people,? and he speaks Spanish very well, which makes it easy for me I wish them a life full of God blessings, favor and as many children as they can handle.

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