Cultural Foundations:
1. Attire: The bride wears a red hand-woven silk dress (Keteni) and an embroidered cape called a Kurte. She is adorned with heavy silver jewelry (necklaces and hair ornaments like Zere and Goychek), which symbolize wealth and offer protection against evil forces. Red represents life, love, and luck.
2. Modesty: A white face-veil called the Yashmaq covers the face, symbolizing humility and respect toward elders. A white head-scarf (Gingach) signifies her new status as a married woman.
3. The Celebration: The wedding traditionally lasts three days, with the third day—the "Bringing of the Bride"—being the most significant.
4. Acceptance: After the unveiling, the groom’s parents offer gifts (silk, jewelry, coins, or carpets) to symbolize her acceptance into the family.
5. The Role of the Mother-in-Law: In all documented accounts, it is the groom’s mother who unveils the bride.
The Phases of the Semet Ritual:
• The Pre-visit: Days before the wedding, the groom’s mother and elder female relatives visit the bride. The mother-in-law lifts the veil for a few minutes to confirm the bride's well-being and health, then replaces it and offers gifts.
• The Procession: On the wedding day, the bride arrives at the groom's home. She steps on a sheepskin (for blessing) and the mother-in-law pours a bowl of milk over her head (for purity). In the first three days, even close male relatives are not permitted to see her face.
• The Unveiling: On the third day, the mother-in-law brings gifts of gold and silk, sings the "Semet Achdi" (The Semet has opened) song, and unveils the bride. The bride pays her respects (often by kissing the mother-in-law's hand), and a grand celebration with traditional music (Dutar, Gidjak, Dayereh) and dancing follows