Almahoud... A symbol of old Kuwaiti glamour
(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) By Sheikha Al-Loughani
KUWAIT Feb 4 (KUNA) -- "To all who don the "Mahoud" you have kept me awake while others slumbered after this calm comes anxiety." Those were the words serenaded by Gulf and Kuwaiti voices in description of a garment worn by brides on their wedding.
"Almahoud" is a type of head garment hand-made for the fairer sex to wear on their wedding an occasion marked by sheer jubilance where entire neighborhoods worked tirelessly to ensure that this joyous day would go on without a glitch. As customs would have it the engagement a process no less significant than the wedding itself is organized by the groom's family.
Kuwaiti brides were renowned for their utter beauty clad in glittering apparel made from the most superior fabrics in addition to jewelry including rings and bracelets. Then a bride would not feel complete without the ever conspicuous "Almahoud." "Almahoud" which is typically worn as a piece that draped over the head was distinct for its sentimental value as famed poet Abdullah Al-Hatem had glorified the garment in one of his poems.
In an attempt to obtain the minutia behind what had once been a staple of Kuwaiti weddings KUNA interviewed Riyadh Mohammad Al-Baghli whose family have long toiled in the tailor industry.
"Almahoud" Al-Baghli described was a black fabric sewn using golden and silver stitches made from silk. The tailoring process as it relates to the "Almahoud" would actually differ depending on the season he noted.
As for the price of these beloved garments Al-Baghli said that they were typically purchased for 150 to 200 Rubiya Kuwait's pre-independence currency an amount afforded by only the most affluent he pointed.
Al-Mahoud was a prominent feature of Kuwaiti weddings well into the early 1950s only to fade away with the passing of time. Sadu house a historic art museum in Kuwait city is said to be the only place with remnants of what had once been an emblem of Kuwaiti pride. (end) sal.nam
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