A traditional Mauritanian Bedouin wedding will be held today at the Arabian Bedouin encampments in Shindagha. The Bedouins are a resilient race of wanderers living in the deserts across the Middle East and North Africa.

Those who will enact the wedding come from Mauritania which borders the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and western Sahara," said Director Operations and Marketing, Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Mohammed Khamis bin Hareb.

He stressed that even though customs and dietary habits may vary slightly because of differences in terrain, the Bedouins are known for their hospitality.

The term 'Diyafah' or hospitality assumes an intense and superior meaning among Bedouins. "To understand the concept of hospitality, you must come and see the Mauritanian Bedouin wedding which is immersed in traditions," said bin Hareb.

A series of rituals will be re-enacted as part of the wedding ceremony including Al Khouthba (proposal), Al Akhd (negotiation of contract), Laylat al Henna (ceremony where a bride's hands and feet are decorated with henna), Al Aadaa (a ritual in which the bride's friends ask the groom for money), Tarvah (where the girl leaves her house for her groom's house), and finally the wedding ceremony.

Traditional music typified by an Ardi (an instrument akin to the harp) and tabal (percussion) will give grace to the rituals. Bin Hareb said: "We are staging a series of weddings, song and dance as well as cultural performances of Bedouins from eight countries, including the UAE, portraying Arabian lifestyle in an effort to underscore the culture of the region to an international audience."