It is the local version of a bachelorette party with the twist of ancient culture and the spirit of an Egyptian happy Goddess. It’s a girl’s going away party, an occasion to kiss the ‘Miss’ goodbye, dance the night away and draw Henna all over your bodies. Of course, we are talking about an original Egyptian Henna Party, the kind that is almost the same no matter how different crowds are, or brides can be. There are 8 people you’ll find at any Egyptian Henna Party you’ll go to:
- The Best Friend
She is the easiest one to spot because she’ll be dancing with the bride to all the songs being played whether she likes them, or even knows them or not. This one takes no breaks, never sits and is always making all sorts of sounds from screaming to “Zaghareet” to clapping. She is inclined to keep the party upbeat like it is her own. But her battle is no easy task because it is against our number (2)
- The stiff
Even though they’ll be marking the background as their territory, they’ll still be quite obvious to you because they are usually the only ones not dancing at a dancing party. Shy or uncomfortable, they’ll be settling for a few claps and encouraging others to dance without considering taking any part of the dance floor themselves. If these people decide to group together, they’ll give you the sense that a party is boring and make the best friend’s job even harder.
- The Grandma who has a groom for every single lady
Sweet as she is, she will be ascending her throne of a coach and checking every single lady out. You are unlikely to escape that test. And in a party overcrowded with dressed up girls, showy dresses and overused makeup, what better occasion will she find to mention the great 30-year-old groom she has saved especially for you?
- The woman filming the whole thing on her phone even though we said not to
You don’t need to find this person, because she will find you. Even though the host might have her own ground rules banning phone-filming, this person’s excitement will be all over the place and she will film anyway. A situation that will corner Hijabis and under-dressed girls in a certain dancing spot so they won’t end up on a stranger’s phone.
- The one person who actually knows how to dance
You’ll know her once she takes the dance floor by storm, making the bride’s untranslated movements look like bad aerobics but definitely not dancing. And while the party is usually jammed with excited friends and cheery family members, this one doesn’t dance for just mere celebration but rather for the art of it. You don’t want to dance next to her.
- The Aunt who makes constant DJ requests
Every Henna party has a woman paying frequent visits to the DJ, and making several song requests. And well, there are two ends to that story, it is either the choices fire the party up or totally kill it, the kind of killing even vampires can’t return to life from.
- The emotional person
She could be a sister, a mother or even a friend and she is usually right around the corner, watching it all from afar, getting all teary at the thought of how much the bride has grown into her own skin.
- The one person who knows how to rock a “Zaghrotta”
Only at occasions like this will you know that these people are a rare breed! And when you find them, you got to hold on to them because it is not an Egyptian Henna party if the whole neighborhood doesn’t hear your “Zaghareet”!
There is no better way to kiss the single life goodbye and prepare for a whole new era. Perfect as it is, an Egyptian Henna Party would never be the same without each and every one of these 8 contributing to its light spirit and magical mood.