The Art of Henna Painting: –
“Tonight, is the henna and the firstborn of the warbler is a chirp oh girls oh daughters of henna.” One of the most famous songs that is not without Egyptian joy, especially in Aswan, is chanting, and Aswan is famous for the cultivation of henna until it became competitive with Sudanese henna, and it is grown in several areas, including the Rhodesia area, northeast of Aswan Governorate, which is grown by about 4 thousand acres, and Rhodesia was not satisfied with the cultivation of henna, but it grinds, packaged, and exported, where it achieved international fame.
Henna plant :
“Henna cultivation began in the village since 1967 and we used to cultivate small areas for home use and decorations only, and with the passage of time the cultivation of henna turned into the second crop in the village after the cultivation of reeds, and hundreds of families live from the return of its cultivation, transportation, packaging and export,” explained Mohammed Rabie, from the people of Rhodesian
Engineer Mohamed El-Shimy, manager of one of the henna mills in Rhodesia, said that the region is considered the largest producer of high-quality henna in Egypt, so traders and international companies accept it in importing it, especially in Saudi Arabia and most of the Gulf countries, in addition to the European market, which Germany leads by its demand for the purchase of large quantities of henna, according to standards and conditions that have been set and adhered to, the most important of which is that the crop is free of impurities or additives, as the products are analyzed before being exported in the laboratories of the Ministry of Agriculture
Stages of henna production: –
He added that the henna after harvesting is dried and then supplied to the mills and then emptied in the mills again and is broken at first, and then it is cooled and smoothed and control the degree of softness of the final product according to the request of exporters, and then packaged, pointing out that the wood of henna trees is used in many industries, including “Al-Mashnat, Al-Tandat and the umbrellas of tourist villages.”
Hajj Ahmed Mohammed, a farmer in Rhodesia, pointed out that henna is planted in March and August of each year, i.e. harvested twice per year, and the productivity of an acre reaches between one ton to two tons, meaning that the productivity of an acre during the year reaches from 3 to 4 tons of henna.
Hussein Ibrahim, a resident of Edfu, explained that a house in Aswan governorate is not without henna, because of its many uses, whether in treatment or cosmetology, stressing that it is safe compared to the rest of the cosmetics and dyes that enter chemicals.
The henna plant, which is known as the “charming plant”, remains very famous locally and internationally, as it has been sung by the most famous singers and singers, and embraced by international companies interested in health and beauty, and henna remains a symbol of adornment and beauty for women, and a promising agricultural project for Aswan’s youth.
“Henna painting” in Aswan:
The black city of the south, “Aswan”, is not satisfied with the splendor of its picturesque landscapes, but its women have added a beautiful touch to it with the art of “henna painting”, which was professionalized by the women of this city, which has become widely famous in various countries of the world.
“Henna drawing” is one of the distinctive Spanish arts, which is spread in Aswan Governorate and accepted by the people of the governorate, its visitors and tourists, and one of the authentic customs on happy occasions such as weddings and engagement. There are many women who have mastered the profession, as well as Sudanese women who paint henna in the streets of downtown Aswan, especially the old Shawarby Street, and next to the Akkad Library on Corniche El Nile Street.
The art of drawing henna is also one of the most important marriage rituals in Egypt, and the wedding night, in which henna is used to decorate the bride and in Aswan the groom also uses it with fees dedicated to men, and henna drawing is not limited to the bride only. Drawings and professionalism, and the drawings vary according to the taste of the bride or girl who requests it, her age and the occasion she attends. The paste used in drawing henna is henna paper to which black dye is added and is kneaded well and placed in a funnel-shaped plastic bag and drawing through it, and Nubian houses in tourist villages are frequented by tourists during their visit to the village asking for henna drawing, and choose simple drawings. She said, “Madiha,” painter henna in Aswan, that the winter season is a season for her, because of the arrival of tourists, whether foreign or Egyptians in the mid-year vacation and the increase in the number of visitors to the village and the influx of some tourist groups that accept to draw henna.She added to the “portal” that prices for Egyptians start from 15 pounds for hands, and according to the required drawing, while foreigners have other prices according to the agreement with the tour guide accompanying them, noting that for the bride there are special accounts because they paint in areas Different in body and have distinctive drawings that are agreed upon in advance.
From hobby to job:
We find that Aswan Girls learn to draw henna from a young age and start with them as a hobby of drawing and then turn into a profession after mastering and professionalizing drawings. The drawings according to the taste of the bride or girl who asks for it, her age and the occasion that she attends, and for this the dough used in drawing henna is henna paper to which a black dye is added and is kneaded well and placed in a funnel-shaped plastic bag and drawing is done through it, and tourists frequent Nubian houses in tourist villages asking for henna drawing, and choose simple drawings.
Winter is their season:
“Marwa,” a painter of henna art in Aswan, confirmed that winter is a season for her due to the arrival of tourists, whether foreign or Egyptian, on the mid-year vacation and the increase in the number of visitors, as they frequent it periodically. She explained that the prices for Egyptians start from 15 pounds for the hands, and according to the required drawing, while foreigners have other prices according to the agreement with the tour guide accompanying them, noting that for the bride there are special accounts because they are drawn in different areas of the body and have distinctive drawings that are agreed upon in advance.
Mustafa Mohamed, a tourist guide, says that tourist groups of different nationalities are interested in visiting the village of West Hill as part of its tourist program, where they spend long hours inside this world-famous village, and enjoy Nubian houses with a unique aesthetic style amidst the charming and picturesque nature of the Nile and waterfalls, and tourists are keen to paint henna in its different forms and types.
