armenian wedding tradition: the "ghnah"

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I know we aren't the only ones who do this! Dipping the pinky fingers of unmarried guests in ghnah (henna) at a party that is also known as the ghnah -- on the night before my cousin's wedding. The women (elders) prepared and carried this beautiful plate (with red candles and a red apple -- of which there are many interpretations) and danced with it in the middle of the crowd.

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Welcome to a new column dedicated to archiving folk knowledge and stories from our Armenian kin. (Also, for folks who are not familiar with the term, Hayastan is how Armenians refer to their own nation). My friend Kamee Abrahamian starts us off with some of their awesome IG posts and more treats. Here is a bio to learn more about them:

Kamee (uses they/them pronouns) was born in an immigrant suburb to an Armenian family by way of the SWANA region; and currently lives on settler land, uninvited. They arrive in the world today as a mother and an interdisciplinary creative, producer, and facilitator. They have a BFA/BA in film and political science (Concordia University), an MA in expressive art therapy (European Graduate Institute), and an MA in community, liberation, eco and indigenous psychologies (PacificaGraduate Institute). The bedrock of Kamee’s artistic background is in classical ballet and dance, theatre, and visual art. Their work is primarily collaborative, spiralling in-to and out-of fragmented time/place/being through ancestral reclamation, diasporic futurism, and radical imaginaries.  They have published both literary and academic work, internationally exhibited and presented visual and digital artwork, films and staged performances, curated art spaces and events, and facilitated workshops across Canada and USA. Most recently, Kamee has been working freelance under Saboteur Productions(founder) and collaboratively through Kalik Arts (co-founder). Check out their personal work at www.lovelinest.com.