Uzbek wedding ceremonies

Getting to an Uzbek wedding is a great success for a traveler: it is there that you can see the most ancient traditions and fully understand the inhabitants of the eastern country. A wedding is the most important event in the life of every Uzbek: they begin to prepare for it from the birth of a child and celebrate it on a grand scale. Having married the eldest son, they immediately begin to organize the next celebration, because there are many children in Uzbek families. We talk about the most interesting rites and rituals of an Uzbek wedding.

1. “Fatiha tuy’ (engagement)

Preparations for a wedding begin with matchmaking: very often parents look for a future wife or husband for their children, and if they managed to agree on everything, the engagement is celebrated - Fatiha Tuy. It is celebrated in the bride's house, where tables are set and the closest relatives on both sides and the most respected neighbors are invited.

2. “Nikoh” (wedding)

Registration at the registry office among Uzbeks is preceded by the religious rite of Nikoh: it is so important that without it the marriage is considered invalid. Nikoh is held in the bride's house, where the bride waits for the groom, covering her face with a veil. The sacrament is attended only by the newlyweds, their parents and the imam - a priest who explains to the newlyweds their rights and responsibilities, and then reads the wedding prayer (khutbai nikoh) and declares them husband and wife.

3. Farewell to parents

In some regions of Uzbekistan, a touching custom has been preserved: before leaving her home, the bride says goodbye to her parents. The girl bows to her father, asks permission to leave the family and thanks him for everything, the father kisses her forehead and lets her go, blessing her. Then she turns to her mother with words of gratitude, they hug, and the mother sees off her daughter, who leaves the house, taking her dowry with her. Accompanied by her friends, she goes to the groom's house, crosses the threshold to festive songs, bows to the home, and is showered with sweets and coins, wishing her a happy life.

4. “Kelin salom” (greeting the bride)

Oneof the oldest Uzbek traditions is kelin salom (meeting the daughter-in-law). This ritual is carried out the morning after the wedding: getting up early, the young wife sweeps the yard, and then meets guests who bring gifts - dishes, carpets, bedspreads and other useful things. When accepting gifts, the daughter-in-law bows deeply to each guest, and only after all the congratulations does she reveal her face and become a full member of the family.