Tag #121691 - Interview #78063 (Rahela Perisic)

My grandfather Haim and his wife Flora had a small shop. They sold mostly
leather good including: saddles, horse harnesses, leather bags and other
household goods. They lived modestly and observed all the holidays and
customs because they were very religious. When their daughter Rena married
she had to go to the ritual bath. For this ritual bath all the girls
discreetly accompanied her to a place on the Vrbas River and helped her
with the bath. Her hair was very long and they put some fragrant grass in
her hair and on the way they sang. My mother told me about how wonderful
these songs were. After the bath the bride was decorated and adorned until
the morning. My grandmother Flora knew how to make the nicest tukada. A
tukada is a hat which is placed on the bride and made from pearls and
brocade. These were real pieces of art work. The young couple married under
a traditional Jewish canopy and it was an event which all the young people
of Banja Luka took part in. Six children were born from this marriage:
Rena, Haim, Sarina, Luna, Leon and Matilda.