A great role in the life of Azerbaijanis has been played and still played by the family. The man here is the head of the clan, who owns all the property, including his dowry. A woman entering the family of a spouse is in the most humble position – she must not only strictly fulfill all the wishes of the spouse, but also obey the older women in his house without question. Children are brought up in respect and honoring the will of the father and other men in the house. Based on these complex relationships, traditions are being built at the base of the family and other customs that still regulate the life of Azerbaijanis.
In ancient times, to strengthen the clan and tribal structure, marriages could also be concluded between distant relatives (cousins and second cousins). If one of the spouses left this mortal world ahead of time, the second chose a couple from the deceased’s family. In great honor were contractual marriages, children could be betrothed even before their birth. The boys were considered ready for such a responsible step as marriage, from the age of 18-23, and the girls were already married at 13-14.
Betrothal and marriage
The very process of marriage was a long and complicated procedure. After preliminary agreements, the young couple were betrothed, and the groom’s family had to pay a certain tribute to the bride’s family, otherwise the bride. Only after that the engagement was considered official and until the wedding ceremony the bride was hidden from the groom. The date of the wedding was fixed, and the celebration was to last 3 days, and the future husband and wife met only at the end of the celebrations, when the young were brought to her future home, and the groom made his way there under the cover of night. The other guests enjoyed numerous meals and fun all three days in the absence of the perpetrators of the triumph in the possessions of the family of the future spouse. Considering the scope of the celebrations, it was necessary to prepare for this event long and thoroughly. It is not surprising that with this approach, the institution of marriage was at a premium, and the couple who lost a couple later chose a life partner only in the same family (otherwise the expenses for a second wedding would be ruined by the richest family).
These rituals are in many ways still alive. Traditions are subject to many moments of life. Marriage, the birth of children and other milestones in life are rigorously accompanied by certain rituals. Since in the past not only well-being, but also life at times depended on the harvest, many traditions are associated with natural cycles and are called upon to provide soil fertility, magnificent shoots and a rich harvest.