Henna Parties

I traveled to Morocco this time specifically to expand my research on henna. I hoped to witness traditional henna-related activities, gather traditional Moroccan designs, stories, recipes etc. This I did, but more often than not Moroccan women wanted me to do henna on them. Where I could I tried to trade my henna work for their henna knowledge however anecdotal. I suppose then that it wasn't surprising that most of them asked for Indian designs. These designs are not my specialty but it was good practice.

Our first family visit in Marrakesh was inadvertently well-timed as we stumbled upon a henna party in full flower. The wife of my husband's cousin had been visiting and was to travel to her husband's house the next day. It is customary to throw a henna party for the person traveling, to send her home with proof that she was well cared for during her stay. Perhaps there is a belief that the henna will protect the traveller during her voyage. I had the opportunity to grill the henna artist (neqasha) while she worked and also watch her technique. That experience primed the pump making future encounters much easier. I went back to this house a few days later to henna the women who didn't get a chance during this party.

I also had the opportunity to henna my sisters-in-law, again mostly with Indian designs. I got a manicure and pedicure in return which I thought was a very fair trade. Only married women are allowed to have their hands and feet hennaed; unmarried women can only have their hands hennaed and even then not with very complex designs. Most of the women I hennaed were single hence the relatively simple (by Moroccan standards) hand designs.

my husband's cousin's wife with hennaed hands	my husband's aunt Fatima being hennaed	the henna artist (neqasha) filling her henna syringe; in Morocco, henna is applied with a syringe whose needle-tip has been cut off
the henna is mixed with lemon juice, sugar and hot water and put into a tea glass to make it easier to suck up with the syringe	the neqasha hennaing my hand - she uses a glass syringe which is more rare but said to be better than the plastic	the design she did on me is in the Marrakesh style
my hennaed hand, the paste drying	Fatima's hennaed feet warming over a charcoal brazier..this style is supposed to look like babouches, the traditional Moroccan slippers	the neqasha smearing henna on Fatima's feet
my husband's cousin with hennaed hand		the neqasha at work on Fatima's hand
the neqasha at work on Fatima's hand	my hennaed hand the day after...I got impatient (who me?!) and took the paste off after three hours, hence the light stain	Fatima's hennaed hand
my husband's cousin, a henna artist, is drawing up some designs for me	my husband's cousin trying out my henna tools on her cousin - she liked the jacuard bottle and sees how it could be useful for very detailed designs, but won't give up her syringe anytime soon!	my husband's cousin trying out my henna tools on her cousin - she liked the jacuard bottle and sees how it could be useful for very detailed designs, but won't give up her syringe anytime soon!
Henna for sale in the market- loose leaves or by the box	Fatiha,my husbands mother's cousin	Abdel-Latif's wife warming her hennaed hands over a charcoal brazier
Fatiha and her hennaed hands
Abdel-Latif's wife	Abdel-Latif's wife warming her hennaed hands over a charcoal brazier	Abdel-Latif's wife
Mina's hand	Hajiba, my husband's cousin	Hajiba, my husband's cousin
my husband's sister's hand	my husband's sister's hand	my husband's sister's hand
	my husband's sister's hand

 

 

Copyright ©2001 Maison Kenzi

This page last updated April 2001