Claudia Cuomo

France, Marseille, 08 December 2012

A young girl has taken off her shoes during dancing at the party. The celebration takes place at the house of the relatives of the bride, in a small living room.

Claudia Cuomo / NOOR

France, Marseille, 08 December 2012

A young woman, very elegant in her beige dress decorated in gold and pearls, makes her entrance under the applause and ululation. Her future husband welcomes her and together they cross the crowd of women in sequ

France, Marseille, 08 December 2012

A young groom is being shaved by his uncle before "El Khouara" engagement celebration. Traditionally, the man goes visiting the girl's parents to ask her in marriage. It's the moment of "Khotba". Once families fi

France, Marseille, 08 December 2012

During an Algerian celebration in pure tradition, it is rare to call on a caterer or a restaurant to prepare the sumptuous meal. Indeed, all the cooking is done by the family and relatives the day and the night

France, Marseille, 08 December 2012

Nadege, aunt of the future groom, showing her Henna. Henna ceremony is a symbolic ritual where the young woman begins a new stage of her adult life as a wife. The oldest woman of the family has to apply henna on

France, Marseille, 08 December 2012

Mohamed, the groom's uncle, is dancing during the party. According to Islam man and woman do not mix neither for food nor for dancing. During the celebration all the guests dance with a same sex partner, except f

France, Marseille, 08 December 2012

Ululation is practiced on various occasions of communal ritual events used to express strong emotion. It is used by women to give praises at weddings and all other celebrations.

Claudia Cuomo / NOOR

France, Marseille, 08 December 2012

Bride's mother surrounded by relatives. Her 19-years-old daughter will leave the family house less than a year after. This moment is emotional, both sad and joyful because it marks the end of childhood.

Claudia

France, Marseille, 08 December 2012

The young girl will become a wife. Meanwhile, she will receive gifts - "shoura" - all along the engagement period until the wedding day.

Claudia Cuomo / NOOR

France, Marseille, 08 December 2012

A little girl runs to see the bride's "Tasdira" with new dresses. The bride will wear several looks during the party: the higher the social level of the family, the more the dresses the bride will have to wear.

Battle of Algiers

Battle of Algiers is referred to the battle symbol of 50-60s war, starting migratory flux from Algeria to France. Currently about 200,000 Algerians live in Marseille, a city in which we can see a certain melancholy towards the land of origin, and a certain pride for their presence on territory, now at 2nd and 3rd generation. Inhabitants of Marseilles also for decades, people of Maghreb have always been considered as passing, a statement that has led to a greater estrangement and claim for traditional values, as an ongoing winning of that battle. During an engagement party a very young couple, guests and relatives show that there's nothing warmer and joyful than celebration of culture, folklore, dancing and tradition from their homeland.

Claudia Cuomo

Claudia Cuomo is a photographer from Naples, based in France. She started taking pictures during street demonstrations across Italy and Spain, having her first feature on Repubblica with a reportage about Indignados. Eventually, she completed her PhD with a Thesis in Post-colonialist studies about the ethics of war and photojournalism. At the same time, she started approaching portrait and lifestyle photography, taking part in collective exhibitions, featuring some online magazines and working as a set photographer for documentaries. in 2017 she is the winner of EnGENDERed contest by British Council of Israel and she has her first exhibition in International Photography Festival of Tel Aviv. She is interested in storytelling and community issues.