WHAT IS HENNA NIGHT?

WHAT IS HENNA NIGHT? Traditionally (in Turkey, at least), henna night, or ‘kina gecesi’ is a women's party that usually takes place the night before the wedding. The bride's closest friends and female family members gather to eat, dance, and sing. Sometimes groom joins.They cry sometimes but suddenly they can start dancing. It is so complicated. But it is an important night for everyone for sure.

They turn around the bride with the henna tray.The bride's aunt gloats henna to her hand.But she doesn’t open her hand.The aunt asks ‘why don’t you open your hand ?’ Then her mother-in-law put a gold coin in her hand so that the bride opens her hand. After putting some henna in the middle of her hand, they put the coin on it and then cover it with a special glove. Then the others can put henna on their own hands. The lovely orange stain it leaves on their hands stays for weeks.

Traditionally, and still for many henna ceremonies the girls start with ‘yüksek yüksek tepelere’ song which is a very sad song and turn around the bride dancing slowly. But she doesn’t dance.She sits during the ceremony. After that her mother and her mother-in- law dance with the ‘harmandalı’ song then her sisters and her sisters-in-law join them.They dance together. But that night doesn’t go on with only sad songs.THe guests and relatives and also the bride dance all night long after the henna is gloated.

It is a sort of melancholic evening It is a sort of melancholic evening. Because the following day, the bride will leave her father's house, where she has lived all her life, to start her new life in her husband's house. The song that is sung especially at henna nights which demonstrates the melancholy. It is called "Yuksek Tepelere". (To the highest hills)You can hear the music here:

They shouldn't build homes high up in the hills  They shouldn't send girls to faraway lands   They shouldn't neglect the mother's one and only   May the birds carry the message   I miss my mother  Both my mother and father   I miss my village 

If my father had a horse, he could jump on it and come   If my mother had a sail, she could open it and come   If my siblings knew the way, they could come  May the birds carry the message  I miss my mother  Both my mother and father  I miss my village 

It's quite a sad song. Those were the days that noone had a phone, the internet etc. to get news from each other. That’s why the bride in the song is so sad as she wouldn’t be able to see her parents whenever she wanted.

WHAT TO WEAR? Usually they wear a ‘Bindallı’. It is a traditional costume. It reflects everyting about the bride: Her sadness, her happines, her love, her family and etc. Probably she thinks about these all night. Also it reflects the Turkish tradition. It summarizes everything about us.It comes from our ancestors.It has a lot of red accesories.Mostly it is a linen or velvet robe ornated with gilt branches, leaves and flowers. It has glittered details on it. Every Turkish girl wants to wear it because when you wear it you feel like a bride.