Introduction In Yemen, as in most Muslim communities, the family is the center of life. Hoda Rashad, Magued Osman, and Farzaneh Roudi-Fahimi, “Marriage in the Arab World” (paper, Population Reference Bureau, 2005), 1, http://www.prb.org/pdf05/marriageinarabworld_eng.pdf, “Republic of Yemen,” CultureGrams Online Edition, Proquest, 2014. Marriage is nearly universal. Social Institutions and Gender Index, “Yemen: Discriminatory Family Code,” 2012, http://genderindex.org/country/yemen Families tend to be large, with the average woman giving birth to seven children. United Nations Development Programme, “Improve Maternal Health,” 2012, http://www.ye.undp.org/content/yemen/en/home/mdgoverview/overview/mdg5/ Although there are nuclear families in Yemen, extended families are the norm. They serve as lifelong support systems for their members, both socially and economically. Hoda Rashad, Magued Osman, and Farzaneh Roudi-Fahimi, “Marriage in the Arab World” (paper, Population Reference Bureau, 2005), 1–2, http://www.prb.org/pdf05/marriageinarabworld_eng.pdf, Encyclopædia Britannica Online, “Yemen: Daily Life and Social Customs,” 2014, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/652831/Yemen/273063/Daily-life-and-social-customs Exchange 61: Does your family live here?
Soldier: hal tiskun usratak haanaa?
(Does your family live here?)
Local: aywa.
(Yes.)
Families are closely bound through shared honor and responsibility. The reputation and actions of each family member reflect upon the household unit as a whole. For tribesmen, individual honor is bound to the ability to protect the sanctity of the family and its assets. Paul Dresch, “Chapter 2: The Language of Honor,” in Tribes, Government, and History in Yemen (Oxford, UK: Clarendon Press, 1993), 54–55. Individuals place the needs and rights of the family above their own. Yemenis value their family relations more than anything else in their society except Allah and their Islamic faith. “Republic of Yemen,” CultureGrams Online Edition, Proquest, 2014. The Typical Household The traditional Yemeni household consists of a large extended family with several generations living in the same home or compound. Because Yemenis follow patrilocal norms (kin living in the house of a male relative), male offspring (and their wives and children) stay in the man’s extended family. When female offspring marry, they go to live with their husband’s extended family. Encyclopædia Britannica Online, “Yemen: Daily Life and Social Customs,” 2014, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/652831/Yemen/273063/Daily-life-and-social-customs Exchange 62: Is this your entire family?
Soldier: haaTholaa kul 'ayiltak?
(Is this your entire family?)
Local: aywa.
(Yes.)
Exchange 63: How many people live in this house?
Soldier: kam beh naas yaskunoo bi-teeyeh al-beyt?
(How many people live in this house?)
Local: 'ashra.
(Ten.)
Families tend to be large and average seven members per household. There is no difference in the size of rural and urban families. Yemen Ministry of Public Health, “3: Main Characteristics of Households,” in Family Health Survey (report, 2004), 28, http://www.mophp-ye.org/arabic/docs/Familyhealth_english.pdf Exchange 64: Are these people part of your family?
Soldier: haaTholaa an-naas min 'ayiltak?
(Are these people part of your family?)
Local: maashey.
(No.)
Yemeni families are traditionally patriarchal, meaning that household authority lies with the eldest male. Lineage is traced on the father’s side of the family. Men enjoy more rights and greater social status than women, who are seen as subordinate to their husbands and male relatives. As the head of the household, men are expected to be strong-willed providers and disciplinarians for their family. They make the important decisions for the family and represent its interests, including political interests, in the community. Laurie Krieger et al., “North Yemen: Gender Roles,” in The Yemens: Country Studies, 2nd ed., ed. Richard F. Nyrop (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1986). , Elham Manea, “Yemen,” in Women’s Rights in the Middle East and North Africa: Progress Amid Resistance, eds. Sanja Kelly and Julia Breslin (New York: Rowman & Littlefield, 2010), 7–14, http://www.freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/inline_images/Yemen.pdf Women are expected to be good Muslims and mothers, preferably to sons. Their role is often limited to the home, where they care for children and perform essential tasks around the household. They are expected to be chaste and modest. Susanne Dahlgren, “Islam, Custom and Revolution in Aden: Reconsidering the Background to the Changes of the Early 1990s,” in Yemen into the Twenty-First Century: Continuity and Change, eds. Kamil A. Mahdi, Anna Würth, and Helen Lackner (Reading, UK: Ithaca Press, 2007)., Mohammed Baobaid, “Chapter 9: Masculinity and Gender Violence in Yemen,” in Islamic Masculinities, ed. Lahoucine Ouzgane (London, UK: Zed Books Ltd, 2006), 161–62, 169. Status of Women Yemen ranked third from the bottom on the 2012 gender equity index, which represented a slight improvement over the 2011 index, on which it ranked last. Social Institutions and Gender Index, “Yemen,” 2012, http://genderindex.org/country/yemen Although the constitution declares that there is equality between males and females, reality does not support the assertion. Yemen’s restrictive Personal Code, based on shari’a law and its highly patriarchal culture, leaves women vulnerable to abuse, persecution, and discrimination. Social Institutions and Gender Index, “Yemen,” 2012, http://genderindex.org/country/yemen, Human Rights Watch, “World Report 2013: Yemen,” http://www.hrw.org/world-report/2013/country-chapters/yemen?page=3 Yemen has been referred to as the worst place to live if you are a woman. Olivia Hadreas, “Yemen: Worst Place to Live as a Woman,” The Borgen Project, November 2013, http://borgenproject.org/yemen-worst-place-live-woman/ Women are denied many basic human rights. They cannot marry without the consent of their guardians. Women are denied equal rights with respect to custody of children, divorce, inheritance, and other legal issues. Human Rights Watch, “Yemen: Child Marriage Spurs Abuse of Girls and Women,” 8 December 2011, http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/12/08/yemen-child-marriage-spurs-abuse-girls-and-women , United Nations Children’s Fund, Yemen: MENA Gender Equality Profile Status of Girls and Women in the Middle East and North Africa (report, October 2011), 2, http://www.unicef.org/gender/files/Yemen-Gender-Eqaulity-Profile-2011.pdf Females cannot travel or obtain a passport without a male guardian or their husband’s consent. At least half of all women marry before they are 18, and marriages before the age of 13 are becoming increasingly common. Jumana Al Tamimi, “‘65% of Females in Yemen Marry Underage’,” GulfNews.com, 26 January 2014, http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/yemen/65-of-females-in-yemen-marry-underage-1.1282224, Human Rights Watch, “Yemen: Child Marriage Spurs Abuse of Girls and Women,” 8 December 2011, http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/12/08/yemen-child-marriage-spurs-abuse-girls-and-women Women are allowed to vote but are otherwise excluded by custom from political participation. In 2011, only 3 out of 412 parliamentary seats and only 32 judgeships were held by women. Approximately 20% of Yemeni women work outside the home. Their educational achievement lags far behind that of their male counterparts. United Nations Children’s Fund, Yemen: MENA Gender Equality Profile Status of Girls and Women in the Middle East and North Africa (report, October 2011), 3–4, http://www.unicef.org/gender/files/Yemen-Gender-Eqaulity-Profile-2011.pdf Only 48% of women are literate compared to 82% of men. Central Intelligence Agency, “Yemen: People and Society,” in The World Factbook, 7 January 2014, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ym.html That number improves slightly among women aged 15–24 (72% vs. 96%). United Nations Children’s Fund, Yemen: MENA Gender Equality Profile Status of Girls and Women in the Middle East and North Africa (report, October 2011), 3, http://www.unicef.org/gender/files/Yemen-Gender-Eqaulity-Profile-2011.pdf Most women are covered in public. They wear a loose head-to-toe black cloak and a face veil (niqab). J. Henry, “Yemenis,” in Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life, vol. 4, eds. Timothy L. Gall and Jeneen Hobby (Detroit, MI: Gale Cengage Learning, 2009), 1051–52. In some parts of the country, women choose to wear the hijab, which covers the neck and hair but not the face. These women have been harassed by al-Qaeda militants in the region. Al Arabiya, “Al-Qaeda Targets Yemeni Women for Not Wearing Face Veils,” 1 May 2012, http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/05/01/211446.html Status of Children and the Elderly Children Yemen is one of the poorest and least developed nations in the world. World Bank, “Least Developed Countries: UN Classification,” 2014, http://data.worldbank.org/region/LDC , United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report 2013 (report, 2013), 2, http://data.worldbank.org/region/LDC Children are faced with challenges ranging from poor health and low education to basic survival. Nearly 6 out of 10 children suffer from chronic malnutrition. United Nations, “1: Socio-Economic and Political Context Analysis,” in Common Country Assessment: Republic of Yemen (report, 2011), 18, https://www.cimicweb.org/cmo/ComplexCoverage/Documents/Yemen/United%20Nations%20Common%20Country%20Assessment%20-%20Yemen%20(2011).pdf In spite of legal prohibitions against working, approximately 17% of children aged 5–17 are involved in the labor force. Eleven percent of children aged 5–11 work. International Labour Organization, “More than 1.3 Million Child Labourers in Yemen,” 15 January 2013, http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_201431/lang--en/index.htm , United States Department of Labor, “Yemen: 2012 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor,” http://www.dol.gov/ilab/reports/child-labor/yemen.htm Yemeni children as young as 11 are recruited into the region’s civil conflict. United States Department of Labor, “Yemen: 2012 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor,” http://www.dol.gov/ilab/reports/child-labor/yemen.htm In 2013 the Yemeni government used children to patrol the streets of Sanaa and to man checkpoints; children were also utilized as soldiers in Abyan. Human Rights Watch, “World Report 2013: Yemen,” 2013, http://www.hrw.org/world-report/2013/country-chapters/yemen Children could be found in the ranks of the Central Security Forces, the Republican Guard, and the First Armored Division. Some groups have reportedly been using children as human shields. United States Department of Labor, “Yemen: 2012 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor,” http://www.dol.gov/ilab/reports/child-labor/yemen.htm Some Yemeni children are trafficked into Saudi Arabia where they become forced laborers or workers in the sex industry. Children are trafficked to other Gulf countries where they work in hotels or in the sex trade. United States Department of Labor, “Yemen: 2012 Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor,” http://www.dol.gov/ilab/reports/child-labor/yemen.htm The Elderly Average life expectancy in Yemen is relatively low at approximately 64 years. Central Intelligence Agency, “Yemen: People and Society,” in The World Factbook, 7 January 2014, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ym.html People 65 and older made up only 2.7% of the population in 2010, but that number is expected to increase to 3.4% by 2025. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, “Table 10: Population Distribution by Broad Age Groups in Yemen, 1980–2050,” in The Demographic Profile of Yemen, 2011, http://www.escwa.un.org/popin/members/yemen.pdf Within the Yemeni family, authority depends on seniority. The eldest members of the household are due the greatest respect. Their opinions and views are highly prized and regarded. Often, the elderly are asked to mediate disputes among family members. Anna Hestler and Jo-Ann Spilling, “The Family,” in Cultures of the World: Yemen (Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 1999), 75. , “Republic of Yemen: Lifestyle,” CultureGrams Online Edition, Proquest, 2014. In Muslim families, children are taught that it is an honor and a duty to care for aging parents. Even if they are sick, elderly parents remain at home with the family until they die.Christine Huda Dodge, “Respect for Parents and Elders,” Understanding Islam, n.d., http://www.netplaces.com/understanding-islam/the-extended-muslim-family/respect-for-parents-and-elders.htm Marriage, Divorce, and Birth Marriage Marriage is an expected part of life in Yemen. In urban areas, nearly 50% of women are married by the time they are 18; in rural areas, 50% of those under 13 are married. “Witness: Divorce in Yemen,” Link TV, n.d., http://www.linktv.org/programs/al-jazeera-english-divorce-in-yemen, PBS, “Child Marriage: What We Know,” 2010, http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/341/facts.html There is no minimum legal age for marriage, and girls as young as seven or eight are often married. “Laws Failing to Stop Child Marriage, Rights Group Reports,” thestar.com, 19 January 2014, IRIN News Agency, “Yemen: Deep Divisions Over Child Brides,” 28 March 2010, http://www.irinnews.org/report/88589/yemen-deep-divisions-over-child-brides More than half of all women in Yemen are child brides, according to a Yemeni official. Human Rights Watch, “How Come You Allow Little Girls to Get Married?,” 8 December 2011, http://www.hrw.org/node/103334/section/6 New data suggests that the rates are much higher: 70% in rural areas for child brides (and 7% for husbands under age 18). Jumana Al Tamimi, “‘65% of Females in Yemen Marry Underage’,” GulfNews.com, 26 January 2014, http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/yemen/65-of-females-in-yemen-marry-underage-1.1282224 According to the law, marriages to child brides should not be consummated until the child reaches maturity, commonly about 15 years of age. IRIN News Agency, “Yemen: Government Body Calls for End to Child Marriage,” 3 August 2008, http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=79584 , IRIN News Agency, “Yemen: Deep Divisions Over Child Brides,” 28 March 2010, http://www.irinnews.org/report/88589/yemen-deep-divisions-over-child-brides The law is almost never enforced. IRIN News Agency, “Yemen: Deep Divisions Over Child Brides,” 28 March 2010, http://www.irinnews.org/report/88589/yemen-deep-divisions-over-child-brides , IRIN News Agency, “Yemen: ‘I’d Rather Die than Go Back to Him,’” 21 February 2010, http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=88138 Exchange 65: Are you married?
Soldier: ant mutzawij?
(Are you married?)
Local: aywa.
(Yes.)
In Yemen, marriages are social and economic contracts between families, rather than romantic unions between individuals. Hoda Rashad, Magued Osman, and Farzaneh Roudi-Fahimi, “Marriage in the Arab World,” (paper, Population Reference Bureau, 2005), 2, http://www.prb.org/pdf05/marriageinarabworld_eng.pdf , Abdulrahman Shamlan, “Women Victimized by Yemeni ‘Exchange Marriages’,” Yemen Times, 11 April 2013, http://www.yementimes.com/en/1667/report/2220/Women-victimized-by-Yemeni-%E2%80%98exchange-marriages%E2%80%99%C2%A0.htm Parents arrange marriages for their offspring; the bride and groom may have little or no say in the matter. Encyclopædia Britannica Online, “Yemen: Cultural Life: Daily Life and Social Customs,” 2014, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/652831/Yemen, J. Henry, “Yemenis,” in Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life, vol. 4, eds. Timothy L. Gall and Jeneen Hobby (Detroit, MI: Gale Cengage Learning, 2009), 1051–52. Marriage between cousins is still common practice. Encyclopædia Britannica Online, “Yemen: Cultural Life: Daily Life and Social Customs,” 2014, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/652831/Yemen Statistics suggest that 40% or more marriages are to kin (consanguineous) and most are to first cousins. Rozzet Jurdi and Pre, C. Saxena, “The Prevalence and Correlates of Consanguineous Marriages in Yemen: Similarities and Contrasts with Other Arab Countries,” Journal of Biosocial Science 35, no. 1 (2003), http://www.archive-iussp.org/Brazil2001/s60/S62_P04_Jurdi.pdf , A.A. Gunaid, N.A. Hummad, and K.A. Tamim, “Consanguineous Marriage in the Capital City of Sana’a, Yemen,” Journal of Biosocial Science 36, no. 1 (January 2004): 114,116–17., Yemen Ministry of Public Health, “6: Marriage Patterns,” in Family Health Survey (report, 2004), 59, http://www.mophp-ye.org/arabic/docs/Familyhealth_english.pdf Exchange 66: Is this your wife?
Soldier: teeyeh maratak?
(Is this your wife?)
Local: aywa.
(Yes.)
Educated, professional women have reportedly faced difficulties in finding marriage partners, with many of them staying unmarried into their late thirties. Perceptions of older, educated women as less easy to control may explain this trend. The local press has described the situation as one in which Yemeni women marry young or not at all. Abdul Rahim Al-Showthabi, “Marriage Choice for Women in Yemen: Early Marriage or No Marriage,” Yemen Post, 19 January 2009, http://www.yemenpost.net/64/Reports/20081.htm Islamic custom allows men to marry up to four wives, although the practice is not widespread in Yemen. Encyclopædia Britannica Online, “Yemen: Cultural Life: Daily Life and Social Customs,” 2014, http://search.eb.com/eb/article-273063 , Yemen Ministry of Public Health, “6: Marriage Patterns,” in Family Health Survey (report, 2004), 60–61, http://www.mophp-ye.org/arabic/docs/Familyhealth_english.pdf Men who take multiple wives must by custom and law treat them equally. They should also possess the resources to provide for additional wives and offspring. Polygyny has been seen by some Yemenis as a means of absorbing unmarried or widowed women who may otherwise be without a means of support. A common reason for a man to take a second wife is because his first wife is unable to bear children. Abdul Rahim Al-Showthabi, “Polygamy Marriage Seeing More Acceptance in Society,” Yemen Post, 10 March 2008, http://www.yemenpost.net/20/Reports/20082.htm Divorce Divorce carries with it a serious stigma for women. Divorced women are seen as flawed and as failures. They face denial or rejection by their birth families and receive little help from the government. “Witness: Divorce in Yemen,” Link TV, n.d., http://www.linktv.org/programs/al-jazeera-english-divorce-in-yemen , Faisal Darem, “Divorced Women in Yemen Suffer Social Stigma,” Al-Shorfa.com, 31 July 2010, http://al-shorfa.com/en_GB/articles/meii/features/main/2010/07/31/feature-02 Divorced women are more likely than any other group to become victims of violence, by both men and women. They are frequent victims of sexual harassment. In the most extreme cases, they are treated like criminals. Faisal Darem, “Divorced Women in Yemen Suffer Social Stigma,” Al-Shorfa.com, 31 July 2010, http://al-shorfa.com/en_GB/articles/meii/features/main/2010/07/31/feature-02 The stigma of divorce can carry over into the next generation. When families meet to arrange marriages, finding out that one member of the couple came from a divorced family can complicate negotiations and may be enough to derail the proposal. Sahar, “Divorced Women in Yemen,” World Pulse, 9 February 2011, http://worldpulse.com/node/34395 Despite these challenges, divorce is relatively common. For the 45–49 age group, about 1 in 4 have divorced. Yemen Ministry of Public Health, “6: Marriage Patterns,” in Family Health Survey (report, 2004), 61–62, http://www.mophp-ye.org/arabic/docs/Familyhealth_english.pdf Divorce is a right for both genders, but it is easier for men to initiate. Yemeni men can request a divorce without justifying the separation or even asking their wife’s permission. They can go to the court and have the divorce approved by local authorities. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012: Yemen, 2013, http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/#wrapper , Law School, Emory University, “Yemen, Republic of,” n.d., http://www.law.emory.edu/ifl/legal/yemen.htm , Marta Colburn, “Chapter IV: Development Challenges Today: Gender and Development,” in The Republic of Yemen: Developmental Challenges in the 21st Century (London: Catholic Institute for International Relations, 2002), 66–67. They may also simply make a public renunciation of the marriage by declaring “I divorce you” three times. Amal Al-Yarisi, “The Daily Threat of Divorce,” Yemen Times, 12 September 2013, http://www.yementimes.com/en/1711/report/2883/The-daily-threat-of-divorce.htm , Law School, Emory University, “Yemen, Republic of,” n.d., http://www.law.emory.edu/ifl/legal/yemen.htm Women must obtain a judicial divorce that may be granted only under specific conditions. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012: Yemen, 2013, http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/#wrapper , Law School, Emory University, “Yemen, Republic of,” n.d., http://www.law.emory.edu/ifl/legal/yemen.htm Among the acceptable reasons for divorce are prolonged absence, drug or alcohol abuse, adultery, impotence, disease, and taking a second wife without permission. Under customary tribal law, however, a woman also has the right to divorce without justification. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State, Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012: Yemen, 2013, http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/humanrightsreport/#wrapper Women who request a divorce (khula) for reasons other than those outlined in the law, must return the bride price (mahr) to the groom and his family. Marta Colburn, “Chapter IV: Development Challenges Today: Gender and Development,” in The Republic of Yemen: Developmental Challenges in the 21st Century (London: Catholic Institute for International Relations, 2002), 66–67., Law School, Emory University, “Yemen, Republic of,” n.d., http://www.law.emory.edu/ifl/legal/yemen.htm , Human Rights Watch, “How Come You Allow Little Girls to Get Married?” 8 December 2011, http://www.hrw.org/node/103334/section/5 This requirement, combined with the loss of social and economic support from the husband’s family, prevents many women from initiating divorce. Marta Colburn, “Chapter IV: Development Challenges Today: Gender and Development,” in The Republic of Yemen: Developmental Challenges in the 21st Century (London: Catholic Institute for International Relations, 2002), 66–67. Yemeni women maintain ties with their natal (birth) family after marriage. This practice allows them to turn to their male relatives for support in the event of divorce. Yemeni women traditionally relinquish their land tenure rights for such support. Water, Environment, Social and Rural Development Department, The World Bank, “Republic of Yemen: Country Social Analysis” (report, 11 January 2006), 16, http://siteresources.worldbank.org/BOLIVIA/Resources/Yemen_CSA.pdf Birth Children are highly valued in Yemeni culture. They are seen as gifts from Allah, and they expand the family and contribute to its wealth. Anna Hestler and Jo-Ann Spilling, “Chapter 7: Lifestyle,” in Cultures of the World: Yemen, 2nd ed., (Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish, 2010), 76. Boys are viewed as less of an economic burden; they are also seen as a way to carry on family lineage and to keep assets in the family through inheritance. Girls, on the other hand, are married off to other families. Social Institutions and Gender Index, “Yemen,” 2012, http://genderindex.org/country/yemen Exchange 67: Are these your children?
Soldier: haaTholaa juhaalak?
(Are these your children?)
Local: aywa.
(Yes.)
Exchange 68: Do you have any brothers?
Soldier: beh 'indak aKhwaan?
(Do you have any brothers?)
Local: aywa.
(Yes.)
Childbirth remains a dangerous process in Yemen, where a high fertility rate, insufficient trained medical personnel (doctors and nurses), and widespread poverty contribute to high maternal mortality rates. Most births take place at home and without a trained birth attendant. Early marriage greatly contributes to maternal mortality. IRIN, News Agency, “Yemen: What is Blocking Progress on MMR,” 20 January 2009, http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=82463 Nearly 51 of every 1,000 newborns die. Every day, 1 in 39 women dies in childbirth, or approximately 8 women each day. Jumana Al Tamimi, “‘65% of Females in Yemen Marry Underage’,” GulfNews.com, 26 January 2014, http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/yemen/65-of-females-in-yemen-marry-underage-1.1282224, Olivia Hadreas, “Yemen: Worst Place to Live as a Woman,” The Borgen Project, November 2013, http://borgenproject.org/yemen-worst-place-live-woman/ Social Events Weddings Yemeni weddings are elaborate affairs that serve to display familial wealth and hospitality. The wedding ceremony follows several previous meetings in which the marriage is negotiated and approved by the families involved. This includes the betrothal ceremony, in which the bride price is established and the engagement is made. Fritz Piepenburg, “A Traditional Wedding,” in Insight Guide: Yemen, 2nd ed., ed. Hans Höfer (Singapore: APA Publications, 1992), 121., Zawaj, “A Traditional Yemeni Wedding,” n.d., http://www.zawaj.com/weddingways/yemeni.html Weddings are large communal events that involve several stages. The traditional Yemeni wedding lasts 3 days, usually Wednesday through Friday. Some weddings—part of a growing trend of extravagant and extremely expensive celebrations—may last 10 days. Zawaj, “A Traditional Yemeni Wedding,” n.d., http://www.zawaj.com/weddingways/yemeni.html Exchange 69: Congratulations on your wedding!
Soldier: mabrook az-ziwaaja
(Congratulations on your wedding!)
Local: 'anitsharaf beHuDhoorukum.
(We are honored you could attend.)
On Wednesday of the traditional 3-day wedding, the bride and groom sign the marriage contract in the presence of a qazi, or Islamic legal scholar. Tyler, “Yemeni Wedding,” Blogpot.com, 22 July 2007, http://dukeengage2007yemen.blogspot.com/2007/07/yemeni-wedding-by-tyler.html , Nikahnama, “Muslim Marriages in Yemen,” 2012, http://www.nikahnama.com/yemen/index.html Weddings must be registered within one week of the signing of the contract. Law School, Emory University, “Yemen, Republic of,” n.d., http://www.law.emory.edu/ifl/legal/yemen.htm The major celebration occurs on Friday, when family, friends, and community members gather for a feast and festivities. Tyler, “Yemeni Wedding,” Blogpot.com, 22 July 2007, http://dukeengage2007yemen.blogspot.com/2007/07/yemeni-wedding-by-tyler.html , Nikahnama, “Muslim Marriages in Yemen,” 2012, http://www.nikahnama.com/yemen/index.html Wedding events are segregated by gender. Daniel McLaughlin, “Weddings,” in Yemen: The Bradt Travel Guide (Guilford, CT: The Globe Pequot Press, Inc., 2007), 32–33. , Sam Webb, “The Wedding for 2,000 Grooms who can Bring Knives but not Wives: Huge Ceremony where Yemeni Tradition Bans Brides,” Daily Mail, 1 November 2013, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2483138/The-wedding-2-000-grooms-bring-knives-wives-Thousands-men-wield-swords-huge-Yemeni-ceremony-women-banned-Muslim-rules.html After the men gather for the noon Friday prayer at the mosque, guests attend a large midday meal followed by an afternoon qat session. Music, dancing, and poetry are performed, and the party spills into the street when the groom is carried out in an ornate chair. Tyler, “Yemeni Wedding,” Blogpot.com, 22 July 2007, http://dukeengage2007yemen.blogspot.com/2007/07/yemeni-wedding-by-tyler.html By contrast, the women’s celebration occurs in a private home. The bride wears a bridal gown, ornate jewelry, and henna (traditional makeup) on her hands and feet. The wedding formally concludes with a procession in which the groom and, later, the bride cross the threshold of his family home, signifying her entry into the family. Fritz Piepenburg, “A Traditional Wedding,” in Insight Guide: Yemen, 2nd ed., Hans Höfer, ed. (Singapore: APA Publications, 1992), 121–23. Exchange 70: I wish you both happiness.
Soldier: nitmana lakum as-sa'aada.
(I wish you both happiness.)
Local: netsharaf.
(We are honored.)
The bride’s family may ask for a dowry of about USD 1,400 up to USD 6,000. The dowry does not include the costs of the ceremony. IRIN News Agency, “Yemen: Mass Weddings Help Ease Financial Strains,” 1 February 2005, http://www.irinnews.org/report/24592/yemen-mass-weddings-help-ease-financial-strains Many cannot afford to get married and pay the cost of the dowry. A relatively new phenomenon is the mass wedding paid for by government organizations and private philanthropists. Farea al-Muslimi, “The Social Politics of Weddings in Yemen,” al Monitor, 20 November 2013, http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/11/yemen-weddings-politics-social-discrimination.html# , Erin Biel, “In Yemen, the More the Merrier?” The Yale Globalist, n.d., http://tyglobalist.org/politics-and-economy/in-yemen-the-more-the-merrier/ In November 2013, the largest mass wedding to date in Yemen wed 4,000 couples. Habib Toumi, “Yemen Mass Wedding Believed to Be the Largest in the World,” Gulfnews.com, 1 November 2013, http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/yemen/yemen-mass-wedding-believed-to-be-largest-in-the-world-1.1249906 , Sam Webb, “The Wedding for 2,000 Grooms Who Can Bring Knives but not Wives: Huge Ceremony Where Yemeni Tradition Bans Brides,” Daily Mail, 1 November 2013, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2483138/The-wedding-2-000-grooms-bring-knives-wives-Thousands-men-wield-swords-huge-Yemeni-ceremony-women-banned-Muslim-rules.html Weddings and other social events are celebrated with gunfire. A ban on weapons in urban and semiurban environments has limited their use at social events in cities. However, weapons remain an essential feature of celebrations in rural Yemen, where not only guns but artillery may be used in the festivities. In urban areas, fireworks have replaced the traditional weapons discharge. Haley Sweetlands Edwards, “The Yemeni Tradition of Firing Automatic Weapons at Weddings Succumbs to Public Safety,” Minnpost, 17 November 2009, http://www.minnpost.com/globalpost/2009/11/17/13502/the_yemeni_tradition_of_firing_automatic_weapons_at_weddings_succumbs_to_public_safety , Farea al-Muslimi, “The Social Politics of Weddings in Yemen,” alMonitor, 20 November 2013, http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/11/yemen-weddings-politics-social-discrimination.html# Funerals Yemeni burial rites are shaped by Islamic custom. Muslims prefer to bury their dead within 24 hours. The body of the deceased is washed by a member of the same gender and shrouded in white linen as part of the ritual preparation for burial. This rite may be performed by family members or appointed members of the community. Bilal Abu Aisha, “Funeral Rites and Regulations in Islam,” n.d., http://www.missionislam.com/knowledge/funeral.htm Exchange 71: I would like to give my condolences to you and your family.
Soldier: ta'aazeena lak wa lil-usra.
(I would like to give my condolences to you and your family.)
Local: shookran.
(Thank you.)
Exchange 72: Please be strong.
Soldier: Khaaleek gawee.
(Please be strong.)
Local: 'anHaawil.
(We will try.)
Men customarily carry the body on a covered stretcher to the burial grounds. Women may be restricted from attending the burial ceremony, which typically includes the recitation of Islamic prayers. Muslims are traditionally buried on their side, facing Mecca. Women may visit the gravesite after the men have departed. Steven C. Caton, “Chapter 11: Travel Advisory,” Yemen Chronicle: An Anthropology of War and Mediation (New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005), 329–30. Mourning usually takes place inside the deceased’s home or the nearby homes of family members. Men and women gather in different rooms of the house. Naming Conventions Arabic names reflect one’s lineage and generally consist of a personal name, the personal name of the father, and a grandfather’s personal name. An example of a full name following this structure is Ali (personal name) bin (son of) Muhammad (father’s name) bin (son of) Ahmed (grandfather’s name). The term bin is not always used before the names of the father and grandfather. The same name could thus read Ali Muhammad Ahmed. Financial and Banking Information Infrastructure Committee, United Kingdom, A Guide to Names and Naming Practices (report, March 2006), 33–34, http://www.fbiic.gov/public/2008/nov/Naming_practice_guide_UK_2006.pdf For a female, the term bint (daughter of) is used. Therefore, Ali’s sister might be Aisha (personal name) bint (daughter of) Muhammad (father’s name) bin (son of) Ahmed (grandfather’s name). Financial and Banking Information Infrastructure Committee, United Kingdom, A Guide to Names and Naming Practices (report, March 2006), 33–34, http://www.fbiic.gov/public/2008/nov/Naming_practice_guide_UK_2006.pdf The use of family names is becoming increasing popular. Family names are derived from one’s homeland or tribal origins and often begin with Al. Financial and Banking Information Infrastructure Committee, United Kingdom, A Guide to Names and Naming Practices (report, March 2006), 34, http://www.fbiic.gov/public/2008/nov/Naming_practice_guide_UK_2006.pdf , James Richards, “Know Your Customer—Naming Conventions for Arabic, Russian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Western African, and Hispanic Cultures” (paper, 14 January 2002), 4–5, http://www.bankersonline.com/tools/namingconventions.pdf If a last name is used, the common naming structure is personal name, father’s personal name, grandfather’s name, and family name. Financial and Banking Information Infrastructure Committee, United Kingdom, A Guide to Names and Naming Practices (report, March 2006), 33, http://www.fbiic.gov/public/2008/nov/Naming_practice_guide_UK_2006.pdf This form would appear as Ali bin Muhammad bin Ahmed Al-Sulayman, or Ali, son of Muhammad, son of Ahmed, of the tribe of Sulayman. Financial and Banking Information Infrastructure Committee, United Kingdom, A Guide to Names and Naming Practices (report, March 2006), 33–34, http://www.fbiic.gov/public/2008/nov/Naming_practice_guide_UK_2006.pdf His sister would be Aisha bint Muhammad bin Ahmed Al-Sulayman. Financial and Banking Information Infrastructure Committee, United Kingdom, A Guide to Names and Naming Practices (report, March 2006), 33–34, http://www.fbiic.gov/public/2008/nov/Naming_practice_guide_UK_2006.pdf When using a family name, it is common to drop the grandfather’s name so the names above would be represented as Ali bin Muhammad Al-Sulayman and Aisha bint Muhammad Al-Sulayman. Financial and Banking Information Infrastructure Committee, United Kingdom, A Guide to Names and Naming Practices (report, March 2006), 34, http://www.fbiic.gov/public/2008/nov/Naming_practice_guide_UK_2006.pdf , James Richards, “Know Your Customer—Naming Conventions for Arabic, Russian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Western African, and Hispanic Cultures” (paper, 14 January 2002), 4–5, http://www.bankersonline.com/tools/namingconventions.pdf When women marry, they do not generally take their husband’s name. Instead, a title such as Haram, Hurma, or Hurmat (wife of) is placed in front of the husband’s name. Hurma Mustafa Ali is, literally, “wife of Mustafa Ali.” First names in Yemen often have historical and religious significance. These names include Mohammad, Ahmed, and Ali for boys and Aisha and Fatima for girls. Yemeni personal names derive from natural objects, the time or conditions of a baby’s birth, willed attributes or qualities (often of a religious nature), a baby’s physical or behavioral characteristics, place names, and even weapons. Abdul Wahed Qasem Ghaleb Al-Zumor, “A Socio-Cultural and Linguistic Analysis of Yemeni Arabic Personal Names,” GEMA Online Journal of Language Studies 2 (2009): 18–23, http://www.ukm.my/ppbl/Gema/pp%2015_27.pdf