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Turkish Henna Night

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In Turkish – Islamic Tradition; The henna ceremony, which has a special place in ceremonial terms, is widely performed today. Especially in Anatolia, the tradition of henna is practiced by almost every family. In recent years, this emotional night has also attracted attention in big cities; the only difference is that it has turned into a “tiny wedding” entertainment …

The Magic of Red

The color of henna is a beautiful red. This color is thought to trigger feelings of love and conversation. It also has a unique and different fragrance.

Traditional or modern Turkish is an organization that no young girl would not want to miss. The henna night can take place as a traditional night or as a celebration in a more modern party atmosphere. The purpose of this traditional event, which is a bachelor party in a sense, is to have fun together, to celebrate the last night at home and to bless your happy togetherness.

In the henna night, sadness and happiness are experienced at the same time. Although celebrating both crying and laughing may surprise you while reading these lines, you will share the same feelings when you are in that environment. So why henna?

Why henna?

The ancients say that henna is made to make spouses dear to each other and to keep their love for a lifetime.

It is also believed that henna will protect married couples from evil eye and evil. By cremating the hands of both the bride and the guests, marriage is in a sense celebrated and blessed.

Believe them or not, but henna or henna entertainment with its modernized state, having a party before the wedding brings the ladies of both families closer together. Singing songs and dances are emotional moments from time to time.

Henna Night Pieces

Henna nights, one of our oldest traditions, have many unique features. “What are these customs, how to put henna on the bride, what is put in the henna tray, what traditional games are there to color the henna night?” If you think, then we begin to erase the question marks in your mind.

How to Organise Henna Night?

Before mentioning the customs of the henna ritual, “How is henna night done?” Let’s start with the question. Although it differs from region to region, traditional henna nights are usually performed at the bride’s paternal house after the night before the wedding, after the night prayer, and that night there are only women in the house.

Preparations begin the day before the henna night, when the man’s side sends the henna and cookies to the bride’s home. On the henna morning, flags and veils are hung on the door of the house to signal that the wedding has begun.

With the prayer of the night, the guests come to the girls’ house. The first treat is distributed among cookies, sweets, henna halva and food. Later, the bride, wearing a traditional dress or an elegant dress, comes to the hall and sits aside, accompanied by single girls carrying candles.

The bride watches quietly as the single girls and guests sing and play. The reason for all this sadness in the bride is, of course, the bitterness in her father’s house as she is leaving.

After the short music and playing ceremony, the henna ritual begins.

How to Make Henna on the Bride’s Hand?

It’s time for henna, the most important moment of the henna night! The bride wears a dress called bindallı with embroidered branches and leaves embroidered on velvet and covers her head with a veil of red tulle.

The task of preparing and burning henna is given to a happily married woman. After the henna is prepared in a copper bowl, it is placed on a henna tray decorated with candles. Single girls spin around the bride with candles in their hands and sing a song, while a family elder carries a henna tray.

Of course in the Golden Age

Another custom that happens during henna is the discourse “The bride does not open her hand”. When the person burning the henna says, “The bride does not open her hand,” the mother-in-law puts a gold in the bride’s palm as a henna gift.

One of the henna night customs is the coin that is put into the prepared henna. This coin is always put in the life of the couple in order to have abundance and prosperity. According to the custom, it is believed that when the guests buy henna to burn on their hands, whoever receives this money, that person’s fortune will be revealed.

After the bride’s crying period, henna is applied to her right hand and a handkerchief or gauze is wrapped and gloves are worn. After the henna is burned, sherbet and food are served and the bride has fun with the guests.

Henna Night Dances

There is no taste of henna night without dancing. Different games, varying from region to region, are played at henna nights. Apart from the local dances such as groom’s halay, horon, chivalry, and novel air, the most preferred game type in henna nights is oriental.

In addition to these games, local dances also make henna nights enjoyable. If you want a colorful henna night, you can learn some local dances.

The Tradition of Breaking the Jug

The game of breaking the jug, which has come from the Balkans to Anatolia, is one of the traditions performed in henna nights in other regions, especially in the Aegean Region. Things like money, candy and chocolate wrapped in tulle are filled into an earthen jar. The groom-to-be sits on a chair. The bride shakes the jug in her hand and plays around the groom and unexpectedly throws it on the ground and breaks it.

For the test (jug) dance, which represents abundance and fertility, the groom-to-be should also come to the henna night. Even if you are going to have a henna night with only women, you can realize this fun tradition by taking the groom-to-be in for a short time.

Yes, such is the henna night traditions! I hope you witness a henna night one day. I’ll be glad if you share what you think with me in the comments.


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