Persian Wedding, Moraga, CA, 1988
In a crowded living room at the bridegroom's home, family members and guests witness the nuptials. The two mothers kneel on either side of Soodabeh and Shahram, while young women grind sugar for good luck onto the canopy over the heads of the bridal couple.
Katrina Thomas's notes: Few Pakistanis emigrated until 1971 but half a million live in the U.S. today. In Pakistan most marriages are arranged, the Muslim men and women celebrating in separate rooms or tents. I photograph two weddings, but agree not to release photos of the arranged marriage because although the sexes celebrate together, the women of the Ahmadiyya movement, a strict Muslim sect, must not have their pictures published. The marriage illustrated was not arranged. The bride and bridegroom, schooled in both Pakistan and the West, fell in love. They are the children of international parents, each with a Pakistani father and a mother of mixed heritage. During a pre-wedding henna evening in a private apartment, they retain but reorder wedding traditions of the Sindh province. On the following day, they are married in a Muslim nuptial rite. Their wedding is celebrated at a diplomatic reception that evening.
Thomas, Katrina (photographer)
1988
1 photograph : black-and-white
reformatted digital
North and Central America--United States--California--Contra Costa--Moraga
BMC-M59
Photographer's categories: Nuptial rite , Bride , Bridegroom , Covering , Shawl , Good luck , Holy Book
BMC-M59_48-03