Marsa Matruh Governorate Siwa Oasis, Egypt

Siwans have always been isolated from the rest of the world and this probably accounts for some of their very different customs. In Siwa customs and traditions are completely different from the nine Islamic countries I have lived and researched in. The daily life of Siwan women even differs greatly from those of other oasis in Egypt.

It is strictly forbidden for a man to speak to or even see a Siwan female after she is married, unless it is his wife, his mother, his daughter, or in some cases sister-in.law should they be living in the same house. The women to this day are not doing any shopping nor do they help in the gardens. All their work is in their homes.

The Siwans are very close society. The 11’000 inhabitants originate from seven families. I know men and women living in Siwa who are from other parts of Egypt. They are married to natives for more than 25 years and they and their children are still referred to as strangers.

After the tragic disaster in 1985, I was able to organize aid to the 237 families (approximately 1’500 inhabitants) that lost their homes. A Swiss federal grant of Frs. 50 000 and 40 000 Egyptian Pounds from Caritas, Cairo was distributed to the 237 families. After this monetary assistance the Siwans Sheiks, local council and inhabitants realized, I am living among them, in order to help find solutions for their difficulties.

These successful efforts were honored by the Siwan inhabitants by admitting me to all their homes hitherto closed to Egyptians and foreigners.

In early 1986 I brought to the attention of then Governor Yousry el Shamy that even though the Marsa Matruh Governorate has an excellent hospital in Siwa for it´s residents, the women of Siwa are reluctant to visit this hospital, because of their customs and traditions. I suggested to him that a Community Participation Medical Center especially designed and for the exclusive use of women and children should be constructed. This center should also include training facilities for the women in order to teach them child-delivery, nutritional and dietary education, hygiene etc.

The former Governor accepted this project in his letter mentioning he will cooperate in any respect in this project for women and children of Siwa.

From the Swiss donors for Architecture in Geneva, Switzerland I was able to obtain funding for the architectural design of Hassan Fathy.

© November 1986 Bettina Leopoldo

The Oasis of Amun-Siwa and its Berber Brides

The Siwan inhabitants are of Berber origin and have always been isolated from the rest of the world and this probably accounts for some of their very strange customs. The Siwan woman are living a very secluded life in the oasis. It ibis strictly forbidden for a man to speak or even see a Siwan woman, after she is married, unless it is his mother, wife, daughter or daughter in law. The custom allows the women to leave their homes only for few occasions, like a childbirth, marriage ceremony or mourning.

The midwife arrives at the new home of the bride before noon on the third day of the week long marriage celebration. The Siwan bride receives a ritual washing of her hands, face and feet (Arak n’ Teshca) by the midwife, which signifies the marriage has now been consummated. A large meal is shared for the first time by both parents and all the relatives of the groom. Sweet tea, cake and peanuts are served, while young girls and women dance for the bride to the special folk music.

On the seventh day (Shemata) of the marriage celebration, the bride will receive all her female relatives and friends for the first time. Only the bride of a wealthy family will wear the traditional black silk marriage dress for this special occasion in the evening. It is celebrated with never ending joyful talk, folk-music, soft drinks, hot chocolate, sweet tea, cake, peanuts and the heart of the palm tree. For every Siwan farmer the date palm is most important, because of it´s multiple use. By cutting out the heart from the centre of the trunk, the tree is being sacrificed, which only is done to honor one at important events. The groom sends it to his mother-in-law showing all the jewellery and clothes stored in beautiful decorated wooden chests and the household presents, which the bride received on the first day of her marriage.

With the purchase of his bridal doll you support a small income project of low income single parent women and their children. It gives them a chance to have some independence. This project has been initiated by Bettina Leopoldo, a Swiss social-ethnologist. She is now finishing work on a manuscript about the inhabitants of Siwa, documenting their culture, traditions, it´s changes and her unique experiences of living with women for twelve years.

May this Siwan bride bring you much happiness and extend you knowledge to another precious culture of this world we should try to preserve.

First published: 1986 Ethnographic Museum, Geneva, Switzerland, “Egypt the Oasis of Amun Siwa”, author by Bettina Leopoldo

Further reading about Embroidered Textiles:

“Embroidered Textiles” 1990 S. Paine, Thames and Hudson Ltd, London, United Kingdom
“Dreaming of Paradise” 1993 Museum of Ethnology, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
“North African Textiles” 1995 British Press, London, United Kingdom

© 1998 Bettina Leopoldo

SIWA TRAVELS AROUND THE WORLD

To encourage cultural exchange and stimulate tourism to Egypt. Swis social-ethnologist Battina Leopoldo has a major exhibition. "Egypt THE OASIS OF AMUN SIWA" travelling to musuems around the world until the year 2000. It opened on the 30th of November fr six months at the National Museum of Finland in Helsinki.

This is probably the most important collection of the finest contemporany ethnographic artifacts from any area in Egypt. The exhibition features almost 400 Siwan objects, an audio slide presentation, 60 photos and folklore music. Also shown at the exhibition for the first time is the award-winning documentary film about Siwa by the well-know filmmaker NIna Fischer.

This exhibition was first shown in 1986 at the Etnographic Museum in Geneva, Switzerland, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Egyptian-Swiss Friendship Treaty. This collection and exhibition were put together by Swiss Socail -ethnologist Bettina Leopoldo and her husband, Leonardo, an internationally known photographer, with the asistance of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture.

In 1981, when The Leopoldos first reached Siwa, they realizaed that many of the fie ethnographic artifacts had already disappeared. Determined to trace these objects, The Leopoldos went to the birth and marriage records of Europeans who lived in Alexandria

before the Second world war, hoping that some of these Greek and Italian families had been collectors of Siwan objects. They sent out almost 400 form letters, most of which returned unopened. But those who were answered led to Siwan artifacts in Cyprus, Greece, Italy and other countries of Europe.

If the reaction of those who have previously visited "EGYPT THE OASIS OF AMUN SIWA" is anything to judge by the continued sucess of the exhibition's world to seems assured.

For the past twelve years, bettina has been in the field living and researching in nine islamic countries (Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, MOrocco, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey) with an emphasis women. especially the female inhabitants of the isolated oasis of Siwa. Egypt. During this time she was able to learn the "siwa" language, an unwritten Berber dialect. Siwans speak Arabic as a second language.

In Siwa, most young are married before they reach the age of fourteen. Only the immediate male members of the family are allowed to speak to them after marriage. For this reason, Bettina made a great effort to learn as much as possible about the marital life of women in siwa.

In a soon to be published book, Bettina notes that customs and traditionos in Siwa are completly different from the nine islamic countries she has lived and researched in. SShe observes that the daily life of Siwan women even differs greatly from those of other oasis in Egypt.

Nowadays most of Bettina´s time and energy is devoted to a most important project THE PRIMARY AND PREVENTIVE HEALTH CARE CENTRE FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN SIWA. Bettina is the Project Director and Co-ordinatgor of this proposed centre, partly funded by the Aga Khan Foundation and designed by late great Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy and as such represented the last design completed in a career filled with successful innovations.

The architectual design of Hassan Fathy is based on the use of appropriate building materials and techniques which respect the cultural heritage and the social, as well as the ecological needs of Siwa. The funding also monitors the construction stage, so as to ensure strict conformity to Hassan Bey's intentions, and will train 120 masons to build in the Hassan Fathy method . Dr. hassan Fathy lectured, that "proper architecture is the first step in prevntive health care", his favourite environment was the desert. Therefore it is fitting, that this building and the entire program, which it houses will become more of a lasting tribute to architect Hassan Fathy. Bettina is hopeful that construction will begin this year.