What you didn’t know about henna

There is only one thing that is on Khadija Abdallah’s mind when she visits the salon to paint henna on her arms – the need to remain desirable to her husband and keep him happy.

Although Khadijah, 33, is a mother of five children she has had in her 10 years of marriage, her body is slim and her arms are always painted with henna. She explains that apart from exercising consistently, she paints henna regularly to maintain a ‘good mood’ in her marriage life.

Exclusively for married women

Khadija explains that in Zanzibar, henna painting is exclusive to married women. She says that on her wedding day, a woman must be painted with henna. If she is not, everyone will be surprised. “It happens rarely if she is married abroad. Otherwise, no one will understand a Zanzibari bride who doesn’t have henna on her body,” she says.

On a hot afternoon, Farida*, Khadija’s sister in law, joins her for a painting session. Farida hasn’t come to paint henna on her own body, but she has brought her daughter in law, Salama*. It is just three months since Salama was married to Farida’s son. Farida says that she has brought her daughter in law to be painted henna because she cares about her son’s marital life. “I am a good mother. That’s why I have brought my daughter in law to be painted.

I want a grandson soon,” she says with a smile. “It is wrong not to cover yourself when your body is painted with henna, especially if you are a married woman. Other men will steal you,” says Mariamu*, Khadija’s friend who accompanied her to the salon.

Mwana Faki, owner of Mwana Beauty Salon in Mbweni says that she applies henna for Sh 5,000 to Sh 20,000 depending on the size of the painting. But it costs much more for brides. It could be from Sh100,000 to Sh300,000 and it could take up to three hours to complete.

As an extension of this culture in the isles, it is not unusual to find items in the market that are used by women to make their husbands enjoy their marital life. Henna being used to make the woman more beautiful is complemented by other enticements.

In the local market in Zanzibar, herbs, soaps and oils are well packed for women to use to lure their husbands. “Why don’t you buy some cinnamon oil to massage your husband?” asks Yusuf, a vendor at Darajani Market. He goes on to explain how a woman can use each item to make the man ‘happy’.

Tourist attraction

Although henna is considered as something sacred to married women by the locals in Zanzibar, not everyone has this view.

The tourism industry has created jobs for many in the isles since there is a great demand from foreigners to explore local cultural practices such as henna painting. Mwanahamisi Mohammed, 44, is one of those people who have benefited from tourism.

She has been painting henna for four years in Stone Town, Ngome Kongwe where most tourists can be found. Mwanahamisi says that those who think that henna is exclusive to those who are married are wrong.

“It can be painted on anyone and at any occasion. The only thing is that if it is painted on the whole body, this is the one that is specific to a bride,” she says.

She says that henna painting is good business. On high season, she can paint from Sh 50,000 to Sh 100,000 per person. And on a low season, it can be up to Sh 10,000.

Mwanahamisi also says that henna is a sign of joy and good grooming. In her view, to generalize that men like it hence women do it for them, is wrong. “It is a personal preference I think.

Some men like it, some don’t. You cannot say that it is a habit that women have to keep their husbands satisfied,” she says.

Mwanahamisi goes on to say that you cannot paint henna and look shabby. “These are the etiquettes of henna painting,” she says.

You must put on some jewels - earrings, bangles, nice clothes and shoes to be able to do justice to the henna that you have painted, Mwanahamisi points out.

Philipo Joseph, a social analyst based in Zanzibar says according to Zanzibari traditions, these things are normal. “They are indeed exclusive to married couples,” he says.

But because of globalization and culture migration, such traditions are now being normalized. “People now paint henna as a way of earning income on a daily basis, disregarding the roots of this tradition.

The practice is taking away the original meaning but there is nothing we can do about it. The world is changing that way,” he says.

But Hamad Othman, 30, who works in the tourism industry in Zanzibar says he loves it when a woman applies henna. When his wife does it, it shows him that she has gone an extra mile to beautify herself for him.

“It is not just henna. It is also when she buys nutmeg from the market or oil to massage me. All these are things a woman can do to make her husband stay at home and not have relationships out of wedlock,” he says.

To this, Khadija adds that to beautify yourself is not enough to keep your man at home. A woman must also be of good character, she says. “There are a lot of men who do not care for their wives, no matter what they do. It is a person’s personality,” she says.

Khadija recalls her own wedding. She spent seven days being washed with various perfumes and herbs.

“We are taught that Thursday is the day that you must clean your husband. You cut his nails and do other grooming. Of course not every woman does this, but it is supposed to be this way,” she says and adds:

“However, you must do this in the early days of marriage. If you delay and do it some years later, he will be surprised. He will wonder what evil intent you have. He might even think that you want to poison him,” she says with a laugh.

She adds that when a woman finishes her monthly flow, she must paint henna on her body. This makes her remain desirable to her husband.

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