By design, you have to hand it to henna
Kidsday reporter Aleyna Cakmak shows her henna design. Credit: Lori Shyman
Henna is type of art that is popular tradition in my culture. Henna is drawing on people’s hands or feet that is done in Turkey and other countries around the world. It is traditionally used for celebrations. You can get henna at a place called Apna Bazar, at 217 Bethpage Rd. in Hicksville.
People often ask how to make the designs. You can go to the internet and search designs for henna. You can also make your own designs. Then you take the henna, which is a dried powder mixed with water, and draw that design on your hand. We use a tool that looks like a pencil and has brown coloring in it. After you have drawn your design, you have to wait for 30 minutes or longer for it to dry. If you want the color to be bold, wait for an hour. I recommend waiting longer because the henna will last for a long time if you do.
When it is dry, peel or wash out the hardened part. Instead of having real tattoos that never come off, I suggest henna tattoos that can be gone in a couple of days.
Lori Shyman’s sixth-grade class, Clarke Middle School, Westbury
