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7000 BCE
Origin
It originated as a way to cool the bodies of people who lived in the desert, and as a decoration for people who could not afford jewellery. The rich also used the patterns for decoration however. -
Period: 7000 BCE to
How Bridal Mehndi is Positively Impacting Canadian Immigrants
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3400 BCE
Oldest Proof
Egyptian mummies were found with dyed hair -
1200
South Asia
People started using it for aesthetic proposes on hair and skin. -
1500
Mehndi Night
Tradition says the deeper the color of the bride's mehndi, the happier the bride and groom's marriage will be. -
Modern uses
Mostly used for celebrations. Temporary tattoos and hair dye would be used to honour traditions much like a Christmas Tree -
Bringing it to Canada
Men from Southern Asian countries came to Canada for work. Immigration from these countries then became difficult due to the xenophobia of Canadians at the time. -
Increased Immigration
Laws regarding the immigration from the South Asian countries were changed. The results were an influx of immigrants from these colonies. With them came Mehndi because of it's traditional values. -
Popularity Rising in Canada
Celebrities like Madonna, and Gwen Stefani were seen with mehndi. -
Henna
The temporary tattoos were now often refereed to as 'henna' from the namesake plant. -
Canadians like it
Canadians have begun using mehndi in their lives by having their hands and feet painted for weddings, bellies painted while in pregnancy, heads painted while going through chemotherapy and all sorts of other uses. -
Modern Marriage
Brides prefer to have their henna done prior to the mehndi night so that they can enjoy the festivities and also have a deeper stain by the wedding day and take advantage of the traditional beliefs about the darkness of the stain. -
Popularisation
Mehndi has become a trendy thing to do and is often seen at fairs and things of that nature. It was traditionally used to celebrate good times, so this seems appropriate. -
Business
Many Asians have opened shops in the Toronto and Vancouver area. This gives Immigrants the ability to keep their cultural traditions on wedding day. -
Large Population
South Asian population in Canada was 1,567,400 -
Spreading Around Canada
Asma Malik brings mehndi to PEI -
Application
Originally mehndi only came in black. Now you can get it in cones in nearly any colour you want. -
Today
Used to treat aliments like athlete's foot and ringworm, as well as celebrations such as marriage.