Turkmenistan good luck charm
Turkmenistan is a country in Central Asia famously known today for its vast natural gas reserves and an autocratic government. It is a country that is still rich in traditions. One of the interesting ones is that during marriage, Turkmen women wear wedding dresses crafted in a unique way for good luck.
History of the wedding dress as a good luck charm
The use of the wedding dress as a good luck charm among the women of Turkmen started many years ago in Central Asia. A wedding dress was and is still considered a big deal in bringing forth good luck to the bride. Special people sew it on lucky days, and to it, special ornaments, decorations, and amulets are attached to drive away any evil and for good luck.
Why the wedding dress charm brings good luck
The bride wears a wedding dress made from a unique fabric, amulet, and accessories believed to guard her against the evil eye. The dress is also believed to bring wealth, health, fertility and happiness to the bride
How to use a wedding dress good luck charm
In Turkmenistan, the wedding dress charm is crafted in ways believed to bring good luck. The red fabric used to make the wedding dress protects against an evil eye. Therefore the bride wears it with a cape and amulets covering her head to guard against evil forces. To guard the bride against the evil eye, the wedding dress had a thread made from a camel’s wool, the tooth of a pig, and silver plates with eyes.
The bride will also wear a veil covering her face, head, and her front body to the waist as a symbol of protection from the evil eye. During sewing of the wedding dress, the bride’s best friends will get pieces of the fabric cloth so that they can have a share of good luck. The wedding dress is also supposed to be sewed by a trusted woman who has also been blessed with many children to symbolize prosperity and fertility.
Now, during the wedding, a maiden’s skullcap known as takhya is replaced with a scarf to symbolize tying of the knot. The skullcap is then passed to the groom’s youngest sister for good luck. It symbolizes that she will have a happy marriage and bear many children
How is a wedding dress good luck charm made?
For good luck, a renowned woman in the village with many children sews the wedding dress on lucky days. The groom presents the fabric used in making the dress. Twinkling silver pendants and amulets believed to drive away the evil spirit are used to decorate the dress
How to make the wedding dress charm at home
For the sake of good luck, the wedding dress has to be sewed by a renowned fertile woman. It involved sewing together the red fabric and decorating it with silver pendant and special amulets
Fun facts about the wedding dress charm
- Not wearing a takhya during the wedding symbolizes lost chastity.