The Haj - Leon Uris [50]
There were nods from all the Wahhabi men to concur that the contract had been fulfilled and that Haj Ibrahim had shown outstanding generosity. The sheik stood, as did the bridegroom, and they clasped hands. Farouk, acting in his role of village priest, read the acceptance. It was repeated by Ibrahim and Walid Azziz three times. Farouk then read from the opening verses of the Koran and the marriage was done.
When the men had finished their business, a sea of village maidens converged on the women’s tent, dancing, singing, and undulating. Undulation was taught to a girl early, for it developed the muscles that would later be used in childbearing.
Ramiza’s bridal gown and headdress, trousseau and treasures were laid out for the women to inspect. Her own trove was a chest of Bedouin jewelry, simple silver round coins, and crude gemstones. The wedding gown was ornately embroidered with silver threads down the arms and sides. A square over the breast held intricate stitching of a pattern to identify her as a new member of Tabah. The frontal embroidery work was called ‘nun’s stitches’ because the nuns in Bethlehem taught young girls how to do it and Ramiza’s costume closely resembled the Bethlehem pattern.
Haj Ibrahim, as promised, had not stinted on the trousseau. Ramiza’s headdress held a small fortune of Ottoman coins stitched into it. Ibrahim had commissioned six gowns for her instead of the required three. Her belt had a large silver buckle and her mirror, a silver frame. The umbrella was imported from England and her coffer was of beaten copper made by a Jewish artisan in the Old City of Jerusalem.
It was a lavish dowry. Haj Ibrahim greatly increased his stature in the eyes of all the women. Within the hour every woman in the village had come to Ramiza’s tent; they were properly impressed as a rain dance of undulating bodies, singing, and clapping resounded from the top of the knoll.
Only the single women were allowed inside the tent as the bride was dressed. One of Ramiza’s sisters dressed her by ritual while another carefully folded her trousseau and replaced it in the chest. The girls applauded in unison as each new piece of clothing was put on the bride. The cosmetic bag was opened and her brows and eyelashes were darkened to a piercing, glistening, sensual coal color. Blue powder was traced on her face above and below her eyes so they had a cat’s shine. Through it Ramiza remained as immobile and passionless as a painted doll. Her sister finished by splashing perfume over her and sprinkling all the girls in close proximity.
Ramiza’s mother was called in to inspect her daughter. She entered singing and undulating as the girl’s sisters veiled her and put on her cloak, then the headdress with its display of coins. Ramiza was led outside to where the married women had gathered.
She was placed atop a camel. For the first and last instant of her life, Ramiza was a princess. A sound of whooping was heard by women clucking their tongues quickly in a denotation of joy, and this changed to wailing and weeping.
Ramiza remained motionless, gliding slightly with the sway of the camel, and was engulfed by screaming children and crying women.
As she was assisted from the animal she got her first look at her husband, resplendent in his new robes. He nodded stiffly, fingering the magic powder in his pocket. Ibrahim walked in front of her as she followed him into the house, trailed by the sheik. Haj Ibrahim and the sheik took the two soft chairs, with Ramiza taking a stiff one alongside her husband. Ibrahim’s sons, Kamal, Omar, Jamil, and Ishmael, and the daughter, Nada, were told to enter. They bowed to their father and kissed his hand, then kissed the hand of the sheik. They were introduced stiffly to Ramiza, who remained expressionless.
‘You are welcome,’ each said in turn.
A parade of villagers followed, repeating that ‘our village is your village.’ By evenfall the tambours, reed horns, and dhamboura had heated up on