A Muslim ritual

LOVELY HANDS: Zeenu Shaine being attended by her sister Zafia, who is pictured here painting Zeenu’s hands in preparation for her wedding which was held on Saturday evening.

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Dargaville saw what is believed to be its first Muslim wedding at the weekend.

The bride, Zeenu Shaine, daughter of Dargaville residents Mohammed Enus and Nazmeena Ali, married Mohammed Zaime from Brisbane on Saturday night.

The Dargaville and Districts News was invited along to the nuptials and the pre-wedding preparations of the bride on Friday night at the Yugoslav Hall, which comprised the traditional henna ceremony – which is
the decorating of the bride’s hands and feet with the reddish-brown powder made into a paint made from the leaves of the henna plant.

Henna is a native plant of tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, southern Asia and northern Australasia.

Zeenu was attended by her sister Dargaville High School year 12 student Safia Shaine, who painted her sister’s hands in an intricate design of leaves and flowers.

Nazmeena Ali said the henna ceremony was for the purpose of beautification of young women who are about to marry according to Islamic belief.

The actual marriage, called the Nikah ceremony, is fully legal according to Islamic law.

However, the couple will seal their union under European law in Brisbane, where they plan to live.

Ms Ali says her family believes her daughter’s wedding is the first Muslim wedding in the Dargaville area.

Mohammed, Nazmeena and their children came to Dargaville originally from Fiji. Mohammed works at Silver Fern Farms freezing works and Nazmeena at the Kauri Coast Resthome and Hospital.