With this rented ring I thee wed

[JODO 2]

With this rented ring I thee wed

By Summer Said

May 30, 3:21 AM ET

Egyptians once considered it the skin of the gods, and lavished it on their ancient pharaohs as they passed to the afterlife.

But today, with its soaring price, gold is putting a strain on the age-old tradition of marriage as couples struggle to afford "shabka," a ritual gift of gold jewellery considered a vital part of weddings across the Arab world.

Beset by high unemployment, rising inflation, and monthly salaries that often fall below $50 a month, many poorer couples are renting the gold rings and bangles they need to wed.

"People cannot stop getting married, so renting jewellery is the best solution for your wallet and the bride's prestige," said Ayman Wahba, 27-year-old teacher.

"Before, the idea of getting married without shabka was almost unthinkable, but with a weak economy and unaffordable gold prices, many parents sacrifice gold for their daughters' happiness."

The expense of shabka -- which always includes a gold ring -- must be borne by the groom, who presents it to his bride-to- be to a chorus of "oohs" and "aahs" from family and friends.

In Egypt, prices for shabka depend on families' financial means. A bride's family may request a shabka from just $600 -- for a wedding band and two bangles -- to $8,000 or more for an entire set of gold jewellery and a diamond ring.

But many in Egypt's lower-income brackets say if men were unable to hire the shabka for about $40 for their wedding night, marriage would be almost impossible.

"A man can take up two decades to save for this gift and other marriage requirements," said housewife Hayam Ibrahim, who herself used rented jewellery on her wedding night.

"Families realize this and are willing to cooperate and break away from the emotional attachment with gold."

GOLDEN BOND

The word 'shabka' originates from the verb 'to tie', and signifies a bond between the couple and the bride's value.

Many also see it as financial insurance in case the bride's family faces financial crisis or she gets divorced -- an important cushion in Egypt, where, despite booming economic growth, inflation and unemployment averaging around 10 percent mean many in the lower classes find it hard to make ends meet.

Men who have the means to marry are in increasingly short supply, while many women from their early 20s to early 30s search anxiously for Mr. Right.

Informal figures from Cairo University's statistics department indicate a decline in marriages, with 600,000 marriage contracts signed in 2006 against 681,000 in 2005.

And with gold prices now at around $658 an ounce, a 27 percent rise since the start of 2006, shabka is making it more and more difficult for couples to tie the knot without renting.

"It is a common story to see a marriage being called off because of the shabka," said Sherif Sami, a 32-year-old engineer. "So to see more families giving up this very traditional marriage custom is a relief."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070530/lf_nm/...8VHtWxW21fmWMcF

Edited May 31, 2007 by JODO