Zaffa

In Arab culture,^[1] the zaffa (Egyptian Arabic: زفـّـة / ALA-LC: zaffah), or wedding march, is a musical procession of bendir drums, bagpipes, horns, belly dancers and men carrying flaming swords. When the procession reaches its destination, there is usually a party, more loud noises, and then dinner.^[2]

The Zaffa is also well-documented in many Egyptian movies ever since their start from more than a hundred years ago, which massively helped spread the ancient Egyptian tradition to the whole region.^[1][3] Nowadays, the Zaffah is commonly held as a traditional and celebratory wedding procession in cultures throughout the Arab world, including the Levant such as in Lebanon, Palestine and Syria, whereby it symbolizes the start of the wedding festivities. It is a lively and vibrant event that involves music, dancing, and cultural rituals.