Henna Henna Mendhi Henna

I’m trying hard to remember where I first came across Henna. And my earliest memory has to be of that on the TV

A news presenter was wearing an excessive amount of bangles on her arm, which I thought to be a bit over the top. They jingled and rattled throughout her 10-minute slot, but at the end of it, it was made clear that she had just had her wedding. The 40 bangles on her arm were today on there for 40 days and 40 nights and underneath the bangles was the most beautiful design on her skin I have ever seen. It was faded but the beauty was still there. They then showed a few photos. This less that a one-minute show and tell was enough for me to get on Google and research weddings. Wedding customs, wedding Lengas, Mendhi, and I haven’t stopped.

One of my work colleges was kind enough to bring me to his home so his daughter in Law could do a Mendhi design on me and I have been working on my skills ever since. (Previous post details)

Being right handed my left arm has taken a bit of a beating with henna.

I try and not bring attention to it and try to keep it covered at work. When my henna is spotted I blush and burble, and some times lie, yes I went to a wedding. I was quite flatted once when a guy at work asked me if I had just got married, when I had to say, no I just like drawing on my self I was quite embarrassed.

Who draws on them self’s?

“Why don’t you get a real tattoo” people say

I hate that. The two art forms are totally different and should never been confused; they are both excellent in there own rights. The beauty of Henna that it will eventually fade and then you can try again. Some Tattoo artwork is amazing but there is only so much you can ink before you run out if skin completely.

Henna is becoming more and more popular as artists pitch up at festivals, fates & beaches. Sadly a lot of this is the black henna, which I do not entertain. Still little is known about the traditional Arabic and Indian Mendhi designs.

I now feel ready for some help with my Henna, so I have booked my self in to a course so any bad habits can be picked up and eradicated. I have found a local-ish course by a instructor who has kindly managed to accommodate me during the holy month of Ramadan, which has lead me to find out more about Ramadan, I’m really looking forward to the course and should be ready for some henna application for Eid.

Only recently I hennaed my first person that wasn’t me, or my boyfriend.

It was two young cousins of mine at a BBQ, I was so nervous I was shaking so much!! I must have done a good job as an Aunt and a family friend also wanted a go. Strangely I was not as nervous on the adults.

I’m not too sure if they were being kind but they said that they were more than happy with their designs. And everyone who was there said how awesome the henna way. My mum was there and she was the only one that didn’t say anything. Which only fuels this on going argument “Am I doing something wrong?” A rant on this may follow later.

I’m keen to start a Armature henna club in the area open to anyone who has an interest and would like to improve their skills or just turn up to be hennaed!

I will let you know how the course goes.