Ceremony of Passing Over the Fish

On the third day after the end of the festivities, the family organizes the ceremony of passing over the fish in complete privacy, attended only by the closest relatives. The bride, assisted by the traditional beautician—the Zayyana (henna artist)—steps over the fish seven times.

The fish symbolize:

• Fertility, as fish possess an extraordinary ability to reproduce.

• Generosity, since the sea gives without asking for anything in return.

• Good luck, as water—the habitat of fish and the hiding place of the sea’s treasures—represents life, prosperity, and blessing.

This ceremony aims to protect the couple from the evil eye and, above all, to ward off any misfortune that fate might bring.