التراث الثقافي غير المادي لدولة الإمارات: قارئ

source_url: https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/the-zaffa-in-the-traditional-wedding-02283 <!-- generated by build_corpus.py from data_sources/ich_elements.json --> # The zaffa in the traditional wedding **The zaffa in the traditional wedding** The zaffa is a traditional bridal procession that marks a couple's transition from single to married life, involving rituals, music, dance and festive gathering. The ceremony includes preparations for the bride, with cleansing rituals and the application of henna, followed by symbolic acts that vary by community, such as drinking milk, cracking eggs, or wearing the capes of relatives. The centrepiece is a procession featuring music, joyful shouts and the throwing of sweets and flowers, which brings families and communities together. Intergenerational participation occurs informally through community learning and formally via schools and cultural programmes. The element strengthens social bonds, promotes hospitality and supports community solidarity, while providing a platform for artistic expression across costumes, dance, instrumental and vocal music, jewellery and food preparation traditions. The element is shared by seven countries spanning the Arab world and the Horn of Africa, including the United Arab Emirates. ## Key facts - UNESCO inscription: 2025 (Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity) - Shared inscription with: United Arab Emirates, Djibouti, Comoros, Iraq, Jordan, Mauritania, and others (7 in total) - Also known / searched as: zaffa, zafah, zaffah, wedding procession, bridal procession, traditional wedding, wedding ritual, marriage celebration Source: https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/the-zaffa-in-the-traditional-wedding-02283