1. U of K
Faculty of Architecture
Wedding Traditions in Sudanese
Culture
Prepared by:
Nada Hassan Taha
Azza Adil Ahmed
Wagar Maher
Hanan Ibrahim
Suha Tag Alsir
Lina Mahmoud

2. In Sudanese culture weddings are very much intertwined with their traditional
vocations.
Wedding traditions and meanings varies cultures, tribal groups and religion.
Sudanese Wedding Traditions

3.  At least a month prior to the wedding, the bride is barricaded in
her house or a relative's house.
 It is not uncommon for the groom to be utterly confused and
shocked at the sight of his bride on their wedding day.
 Almost every day for a whole month, the bride goes through a
process called "Dokhan" in which she wraps her entire body in
a blanket and sits on a hole in the ground.
 The Sudanese value their traditions from Dokhan to incense
(Bakhour) and making their own perfume (khomra).
Bakhour
khomra
Sudanese Wedding Traditions

4. El Henna day …
Both bride and groom will have their own henna parties
Bride and her girlfriends comes to decorate their hands and legs with henna and
they dance and sing and spend a happy day together.
That night the groom also has his Henna night with his male friends and
women relatives
The groom Decorate only his fingertips and bottom of feet.
Sudanese Wedding Traditions

5. The wedding party "Al-Dukhla" …
In the morning of the wedding day,
the bride's family may send the 'groom's
breakfast'.
The food accompanied by women ululating
and singing, for the groom's family to feed
their guests.
Sudanese Wedding Traditions

6. The actual contract [agid] will be done in the mosque.
After the contract has been signed someone will fire shots from a rifle to let the
women know that the contract is signed.
"Al-Dukhla" takes place in houses, large tents, in the streets or in clubs.
. The bride's family gets a singer or DJ.
There's a lot of music and dancing and a beautiful dinner is served.
The bride wears a white wedding gown and the groom wears a black tuxedo.
Sudanese Wedding Traditions

7. "Al Subhia“…
The bride's mother invites all the women of the family and the girlfriends of
the bride.
. The bride dances three or four dances for her audience, changing dresses for
each dance.
 A woman sings and drums on the "dallooka" songs that all the girls
know, and they all sing along, clap and have a great time!
Sudanese Wedding Traditions

8. After she finishes dancing, it's time for the final
ritual called the "Jirtig".
 It has special traditions, and a special red and
yellow tray with pottery to put the perfumes and
bakhoor in.
The bride changes into a red tobe and sits with her
new husband on a bed with a beautifully decorated
red and gold sheet called "milayat aljirtig".
They ties the red "hareera" and "hilaal" around the
groom's head, and the "sibha" around his neck.
The groom gets up and sprays the audience with
perfume.
Then the woman offers them a cup of milk. They
both take a drink and spray some of it over each
other as a sign of love, peace and hope for a clean,
pure life together- pure as milk.
Sudanese Wedding Traditions

9. • The wedding ceremony respects the cultural and religious differences.
• Each culture among Sudanese Regions South, North, East, West, and Central
have specific traditions, ceremonies, activities, clothing, food and music but
the majority share some, or all, of the same traditions.
Sudanese Wedding Traditions