Skip to main content

The social politics of weddings in Yemen

The phenomenon of mass weddings is spreading in Yemen.
Grooms, who are members of staff at an institution, wear traditional costumes and carry swords during a mass wedding ceremony in Sanaa, October 3, 2013. The ceremony was organized by the institution for 300 members of its staff. REUTERS/Mohamed al-Sayaghi (YEMEN - Tags: SOCIETY EDUCATION) - RTR3FK4O
Read in 

Yemen has unique and violent traditions that give a special character to its weddings, which are costly and lavish, especially considering the country’s low per capita income. The weddings involve traditional clothing, knives and guns, which sometime kill people — as happened in Ibb province in September, when a tribal sheikh was killed by celebratory gunfire. That incident resulted in the signing of a popular document criminalizing shooting at weddings. Yemeni law already banned that practice, but the law was not being enforced.

A year earlier, a Yemeni Airways civilian aircraft carrying 150 passengers was hit by a stray bullet fired by wedding revelers as it was about to land near Sanaa International Airport. 

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.