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Rites and craftsmanship associated with the wedding costume tradition of Tlemcen

Inscribed in 2012 (7.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Country(ies): Algeria

Identification

Description

: Rites and craftsmanship associated with the wedding costume tradition of Tlemcen; © Belkaïd, 2011

The wedding ritual of Tlemcen in northwestern Algeria commences in the parents’ home, where the bride is dressed in a traditionally woven golden silk dress, surrounded by her friends and married female relations, the latter wearing their own wedding costumes. Symbolic henna designs are applied to her hands, and an older woman helps her don a caftan of embroidered velvet, jewellery and a conical hat. Rows of baroque pearls protect her vital and reproductive organs against evil spirits. On leaving the house, the bride is covered with a golden veil of silk. During the wedding feast a married woman from the bride’s inner circle draws red and silver designs beneath the veil on the bride’s cheeks and under her lower lip to purify and protect her. Once protected by her caftan, jewels and make-up, the bride removes her veil, ready to be wed. Girls in Tlemcen are initiated into the costume tradition at an early age, while the craftsmanship involved in making the precious wedding costume is transmitted from generation to generation. The rite symbolizes the alliance between families and continuity between generations, while the craftsmanship plays a major role in perpetuating the creativity and identity of the Tlemcen community.

Documents

Nomination form: English|French
Consent of communities: English/French
ICH inventory: French/Arabic

Decision 7.COM 11.1

The Committee (…) decides that [this element] satisfies the criteria for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, as follows:

R.1: The knowledge and skills associated with the wedding costume tradition of Tlemcen have been transmitted by men and women of the community from generation to generation and serve as a marker of local identity;
R.2: Inscription of the element on the Representative List could encourage mutual dialogue between communities and groups, while raising awareness of other vestimentary and ritual practices of the Mediterranean region and elsewhere;
R.3: Safeguarding measures focus on research, dissemination, transmission and promotion of the rites and craftsmanship and reflect the involvement and commitment of the people of Tlemcen;
R.4: Several practitioners, communities, organizations, local authorities and academic institutions participated in the nomination process and granted their free, prior and informed consent for inscription of the element;
R.5: The rites and know-how associated with the marriage ceremony in the Tlemcen region were included in 2010 in a national database of intangible cultural properties, managed by the Ministry of Culture;

Inscribes rites and craftsmanship associated with the wedding costume tradition of Tlemcen on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.