RIYADH (Omar Abdul-Aziz, AlArabiya.net)
Skyrocketing gold prices and increasing cost of living have forced many Saudi girls to reconsider some longstanding social traditions related to marriage rituals, especially the wedding gift or “shabkah” in Arabic.
Traditionally, the suitor in the Arab world must offer his bride “shabkah”, usually a gift made of gold, presented in a ceremony that precedes the wedding party. In Saudi Arabia, “shabkah” would usually cost a fortune, but that tradition is changing now.
"The custom in my family has always been offering the bride big pieces of gold like a head-shaped piece that she puts on her head like a crown, along with a gold belt. But now, I do not think we, as a couple, have enough money for that. I have to be realistic, and I don't want to burden my partner," elementary school teacher Sanaa al-Dawsari who's getting married in the summer told Al-Aswaq.net, the business website of AlArabiya.net.
There has to be other alternatives though. Some Saudis now resort to smaller and less costly gold gifts, others use fake jewelry and some even rent it for the occasion and then give it back.
Ghaidaa, also a teacher, said she was content with cheap jewelry since she preferred using the money for something else like buying a piece of land or starting a business.
"But my family likes to show off and insisted on buying expensive jewelry, so my fiancé and I agreed on selling it after marriage."
Gold prices have hiked recently, with the ounce hitting an unprecedented $ 1,000. That coincided with the cost of living in Saudi Arabia going up 8.7% in February 2008.
Interviews with other future brides and owners of gold stores revealed that renting “shabkah” for the ceremony – maximum 24 hours – may cost SR 500 to 3,000, depending on the size and cost of the piece.
Within the same context, costumers of fake jewelry in the Kingdom have almost doubled recently, giving the number of stores and the size of the trade itself, according to traders interviewed by Al-Aswaq.net.
“We also started making new designs that fit all types of clothes and cater to all tastes," Mansour al-Allian, owner of an accessory store said, adding that his customers are doubled. |
