SYRIA: ART AND LITERATURE

Arts have been a part of this region for several millennium. Handicrafts and tools have been built and created since antiquity. Once Islam became the dominant religion of Syria, that impact on art had changed. One of the aspects of Islam is that it forbids any kind of depiction or drawing of people or animals. So, essentially, prior to the early 20th century, much of their visual arts were geometric shapes, tessellations, and calligraphy. Sculptures out of marble and other materials are often seen outside of public buildings and palaces.

Metalwork, used in jewelry, cookware, and other tools, was really important. Jewelry mainly utilized gold and silver, but metals like copper and brass were used for plates, bowls, and other objects. Much of the metalwork art had originally been done by Syrian Jews.

Mosaic woodworking is another art that was highly popular. Using woods of different colors and textures created beautiful works of art, mainly as tables, chairs, desks, trays, game boards, boxes, etc.

Other arts include glassblowing (which I’d love to learn to do) and fabric making. A type of silk with floral patterns that show on both sides called damask is actually named for the city of Damascus where it was first produced. The Bedouins are also known for their weaving abilities, especially when it comes to prayer rugs and carpets.

The ancient city of Ugarit, near present-day Latakia, held long-forgotten ruins that were found by accident. What these accidental discoverers found were ancient texts, leading them to realize later they created their own cuneiform alphabet dating back to around the 14th century BC. Although written in a different script, the order of the alphabet is fairly similar to the order of the English alphabet as we know it today.

Today, and for a very long time, the vast majority of Syrian literature is written in Arabic. Much of the early examples of literature were in poetry, a genre that is very much a deep part of the broader Arab culture. However, most examples of literature stemmed after the nahda, a literary revival that took place during the late 19th century and early 20th centuries. It’s tied to a change toward more modernism, enlightenment, and cultural reform.

Adonis

Syria literature enveloped many of the same writing genres that were popular in Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East. If the 19th century focused on romantic literature, then the 20th century changed that. Social realism became an important genre for Syrian writers, addressing issues like recent wars and their place in the Arab community. Other genres that emerged during the 20th century include historical novels, magical realism, and science fiction.

Nizar Qabbani

Some authors of note to look for include Adonis (poet, translator), Muhammad al-Maghout (writer, poet), Haidar Haidar (novelist), Ghadah al-Samman (journalist, novelist), Nizar Qabbani (poet, diplomat -- read his poem "Balqis" about his wife who was killed in the 1981 bombing of the Iraqi embassy in Beirut. Very powerful, emotional), Zakaria Tamer (short story writer), Fawwaz Haddad (novelist), and Salim Barakat (novelist, poet).

Up next: music and dance

SYRIA: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

You don’t have to be a news junkie to know that Syria has been in the news quite a bit over the past ten years, and especially in recent months. This area has long stood center stage in conflict, an unfortunate position for its people and rich cultural heritage. In an effort to understand this country and the situation a bit more, I thought I’d take the Howard Zinn approach and dig in a bit on the silent victims: their cultural and culinary arts.

The origin of the name Syria is thought to have been stemmed from several sources, but generally seems to lead back to Greek, derived from variations of Assyria. The borders have changed over time, but the land known as Syria was designated to being along the eastern part of the Mediterranean.

Today, Syria is located in The Levant, the area between the eastern side of the Mediterranean and north of the Arabian Peninsula. It’s surrounded by Turkey to the north; Iraq to the east; Jordan to the south; and Israel [near the Golan Heights] and Lebanon to the west. It also shares part of its western coastline with the Mediterranean Sea. The Euphrates is a major river that winds its way through Syria and is one of the most important rivers in the region. Its climate ranges from arid desert to a semiarid steppe climate, although the areas along the coast and along the rivers are fairly fertile.

Syria lies in the region where many facets of civilization were born. Agriculture and cattle breeding were a couple of the things that were developed in this area since 10,000 BC. There is also evidence of tools and trading from this time. Several kingdoms were all vying for dominance for many centuries, but they were also subject to foreign invasions as well. Eventually most of this area fell under the Neo Assyrian Empire, which brought in Aramaic as their lingua franca until the Arab Islamic movement took over in the 7-8th centuries AD. The Greeks, under Alexander the Great, took over in 330 BC and gave it its name of Syria. It later became part of the Roman Empire, and then the Byzantine when the Roman Empire split up. Christianity became the main religion and many areas in Syria are significant in Christian history (Paul’s conversion took place along the Road to Damascus). Muhammad traveled through this area, and not long after was incorporated under the Umayyad Dynasty and later Abassid Dynasty. During this time, Arabic became the official language. The Middle Ages were marked by the Crusades and other periods of attacks and fighting for the land, some (much?) of it linked to the trade routes along the Silk Road (when they discovered a sea route, they didn’t worry about that so much). During the early 1500s, the Ottomans ventured into this area, and it was actually pretty peaceful among all the different ethnic groups here. As they entered WWI, the Ottomans were tied to the Armenian and Assyrian Genocides, and at the end of the war, it was placed under a French mandate. After a series of revolts, Syria finally was granted its independence in 1946. Not long into their independence, they launched an attack on Palestine to destroy Jewish towns. After a series of coups and in the aftermath of the Suez conflict, Syria welcomed Russia’s help, but that made some other countries nervous. The Ba’athist Party took over in the early 1960s, followed by several wars involving Egypt, Israel, Syria, and Lebanon from the late 1960s to the early 1980s. There’s been a civil war in Syria since the early 2000s, and millions have fled the conflict as refugees.

The capital city of Damascus is located in the southwest corner of the country. It’s also one of the oldest, continuously lived in cities in the world, with references to it dating back to the 15th century BC. The old city, including what’s left of its ancient walls and gates, is listed as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It used to be the second-largest city in Syria behind Aleppo, but the war may have changed that now. Damascus is listed as being in a cold desert climate, which means if you like frequent sunshine and low humidity for much of the year, this is it. The vast majority of the people living here are Syrian Arabs, with Kurds as the largest minority. Damascus is a cultural capital, boasting many colleges and universities, museums, sports arenas, resorts, restaurants, and shopping areas.

Although largely dependent on oil and agriculture, the Syrian Civil War has had a devastating effect on its economy. One major source of revenue was from phosphate mining, but Syria lost that to ISIS several years ago. They mainly rely on credit from their main trade partners: Russia, Iran, and China. The once thriving tourism industry has fallen drastically while unemployment and poverty rates soar. Struggling against global sanctions from the US and Europe, the oil industry has also taken a hit.

Nearly three-quarters of Syrians are Sunni Muslims, mostly from the Sunni Arabs, although there are also Kurds and Turkoman populations in there. There are smaller numbers of Shia Muslims, Christians, and other religions.

The official language is Arabic, and several dialects are used in Syria. Mainly the Levantine dialect is heard in the western portions of the country while the Mediterranean dialect is used on the northeastern side. There are quite a few minor languages spoken here, but none carry any kind of official status. English and French are widely studied as foreign languages, with English being the dominant one.

The conflict in Syria and its history are complicated, much too complicated to give it any justice in this blog post. The problem with countries that have been inhabited for thousands and thousands of years is that there is a ton of history that goes with it. I read an article once about the threat of looting antiquities from the bombed out libraries and museums. The somewhat good news is that due to the bravery of a few, much of it has been saved, but I imagine some collections may never be whole again. In October 2018, the National Museum of Damascus reopened after being closed for nearly seven years. We know who the true heroes are.

Up next: art and literature

SAUDI ARABIA: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

As a kid, I was really into these two atlases my mother had. One covered US states and territories and the other was for the world. I remember a photo of Saudi Arabia in the Middle East section that was of the Rub’ al Khali desert, a vast desert that covers roughly the southern third of the Arabian Peninsula. It literally means “Empty Quarter.” The starkness and the emptiness really got me, yet there are animals and certain plants that have learned to live there somehow. Remind me of a few jobs I’ve had. 

Looks like one of those generic computer backgrounds that come pre-installed.

The country is named after the Al Saud, the royal family. The term Arab or Arabian is thought to have been derived from words meaning “nomadic” or “desert,” but there are other theories of its origin as well. 

Saudi Arabia takes up most of the Arabian Peninsula. It’s surrounded by Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait to the north; Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates to the east; and Oman and Yemen to the south. The Persian Gulf is off to the east (by Bahrain and Qatar) while the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba separate the Arabian Peninsula from Africa to the west. A number of small islands dot the coastlines on both sides. And amazingly, it’s the largest country that doesn’t have any rivers. No surprise here, but Saudi Arabia has a desert climate. They’re known for their high daytime temperatures in the summer, which are typically between 113-129ºF! Um, no thanks.

It’s thought by many historians that the first people here arrived from eastern Africa at the Horn of Africa roughly 75,000 years ago. There were several civilizations and kingdoms that thrived in this area before the advent of Islam, including Al-Magar, Dilmun, Thamud, Nabatean, Lihyan, and Kindah. When the prophet Muhammad was born, much of this area was nomadic societies with a few cities on the coasts and edges of the deserts. But Muhammad had unified some of these nomadic tribes and converted them to Islam. After his death, they spread his religion beyond the boundaries of the Arabian Peninsula. At one point, the Umayyad Caliphate spread from modern-day Portugal to Pakistan, making it one of the largest empires in history. Mecca and Medina became important cities in Islam. However, much of what is now Saudi Arabia was still pretty much tribally run at this point and opened itself up for larger civilizations to move in to take over. The Ottomans entered the picture in the early 16^th century. What started as a means of keeping the Portuguese out, opened itself up to staying around for the next four centuries (gotta make sure the job’s done, I guess). The Saud family established their place in 1744 when Muhammad bin Saud joined together with the religious leader Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Wahhab to create a super conservative form of Sunni Islam. Set up near Riyadh, they quickly expanded and took control over most of their present-day boundaries. Previous tribal leaders didn’t take too kindly to the Saud family’s rule and there were conflicts and revolts over it. Finally in 1932, the kingdoms of Nejd and Hejaz united and became known as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Not long afterwards, oil was discovered, and of course the US smelled it and started salivating and got involved (not to mention, just trying to control all of Aramco, their main oil company, themselves). Foreign workers flooded the country to work, setting off the local’s xenophobia. During the 1970s, oil wars over who controlled the pricing and profits (along with Saudi Arabia’s dislike of Israel and the West) caused prices to quadruple. A growth of more (conservative) religious radicalization is a cause for concern. Human rights groups are concerned about the lack of rights and treatment of women. It was only last year when women were allowed to get a driver’s license.

Riyadh is the most populous city and national capital. Roughly located in the center of the county, it was originally called Hajr during the pre-Islamic days. It really expanded and adopted the grid-like city planning during the 1940s and 1950s. The old parts of the city aren’t that large, but one of the most historic buildings includes the Masmak Fort. Today, it’s a modern city and serves as the center of government, finance, media, transportation, and sports and culture.

Saudi Arabia’s economy is –no surprise here– mainly supported by petroleum. However, it’s also highly dependent on foreign workers in this industry as well. It’s estimated that Saudi Arabia has roughly one-fifth of the world’s petroleum reserves. There is also a small mining industry, mostly in gold and some other minerals. A few areas in the country are able to support its small agricultural endeavors. Saudi Arabia does struggle with creating enough drinkable water and food variety as well as inequality and hiring its own people over foreign workers.

Officially, all Saudi citizens are Muslim. There are several estimates, but most would put the Sunni Muslim population between 75-90% and the Shia as the remaining 10-25%. The version of Sunni mainly practiced here is actually Wahhabism (also called Salafism), which is an ultra-conservative form of Islam. There is a significant number of Christians in the country, but they are mostly foreign workers. Atheists and agnostics are considered terrorists (I should probably stay away then). To leave Islam (called apostasy), either by converting to another religion or becoming an atheist, is punishable by death in Saudi Arabia.

Yeah, this seems a little crazy to me. Not exactly sure what's so secret down this road.

The official language is Arabic, although there are several dialects spoken throughout the country: Najdi Arabic, Hejazi Arabic, and Gulf Arabic. There’s also a Saudi Sign Language for their deaf community. Because of the large number of foreign workers in the country, there are large pockets of Tagalog, Urdu, Rohingya, and Egyptian Arabic speakers as well.

I came across this sport that’s popular in Saudi Arabia called Sidewalk Skiing. Its name doesn’t really describe what they’re actually doing, however. What it is, is taking a car and getting it to ride on the two tires on one side of the car while it’s in motion. And while they’re in motion, the passengers will sit on the outside or do tricks on the car. I actually saw this in the M.I.A. video for “Bad Girls” a few years ago. I thought it was crazy then, and still think it’s crazy.

Up next: art and literature

OMAN: ART AND LITERATURE

Early rock art shows women, men, children, and animals in their daily life. The early settlers to these areas also brought with them an array of other domestic arts, such as jewelry making, weaving, beadwork, and other textiles. There were other types of arts like woodcarving, leather work, metal work, and pottery that were utilized to create tools, utensils, and other items used in the home.

Architecture plays an important part of Omani culture, and many of the influences stem from their historical interactions with other cultures (especially the ones they overtook). By far, Arab and Islamic architecture dominates in Oman. Some of the common features you’ll see are thick walls, few windows, round towers, the use of vaulted arches, carved wooden ceilings, and highly decorated doors and doorways. Many homes and public areas make use of mosaic tiles as decoration and use geometric patterns. In many homes, they often put windows high up and shape them so that it funnels the wind to naturally cool the home. Some homes even built their house around a well, so that the well is now on the inside (you probably find that far more in the rural areas rather than in the cities). 

Royal Opera House, Muscat

Oman has many museums dedicated to its history and cultural arts, many of which are located in Muscat. The Royal Opera House is an architectural feat of beauty and a famous stop for tourists and locals alike. An old French consulate has now been remodeled into a museum and garden. The National Museum is one of the more important collections of the history and culture of Oman. There’s even a museum of frankincense – yes the same from the story where one of the Wise Men brought frankincense as a gift for Baby Jesus. The frankincense tree grows natively in Oman along with myrrh. Both trees produce a resin that is tapped and used as an incense and perfume.

Frankincense tree

The earliest examples of literature from Oman date back to the 9^th century. Most of the manuscripts we have today center around subjects such as religion, culture, and history. Geneologies were also fairly common during the time between the 11^th and 19^th centuries. Poetry has also been a style utilized from the early periods and is still popular today. 

Manuscript of the Quran from Oman

Most Omani authors write in Arabic. Literature in Oman is somewhat hard to really come by translated into English. And from what I’ve gathered, there really aren’t too many brave souls in Oman who jump into writing. For one, writing is hard. (Oh, do I know this!) But that’s not really the reason. One of the main problems is that there is such a high censorship on anything that’s written, it makes it hard for writers to write freely. They can’t question anything regarding the government or draw attention to the state of being censored. I’ve read several articles about authors and bloggers who have been questioned and detained just for questioning the government and writing about their history in any light they deem unflattering. 

That being said, there are a couple authors worth mentioning. One of the more well-known authors is Abdulaziz Al Farsi, whose novel Earth Weeps, Saturn Laughs: An Omani Novel is available through Amazon (and in English!). Another successful author is Jokha Mohammed Al-Harthi. He was the recipient of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2011. Today, there are also many writers and journalists who write for various newspapers, magazines, and literary journals/magazines.

Up next: music and dance

OMAN: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

When I was a kid, I pronounced this country as “Oh, man!” I also used to get Muscat and Muskrat mixed up (I’m not sure why; they are vastly different.) However, in real life, Oman planted its stakes at a very strategic location in the Middle East and has taken full advantage of that location for many centuries. Once quite a powerful empire, its leader now tries as best as he can to maintain control, even if it goes too far. 

 

Where exactly the name Oman comes from is kind of up in the air. Historical linguists have argued various possible etymologies. Some believe it may have stemmed from either Greek or Roman references to the country (Pliny the Elder referred to the ancient city of Sohar/Suhar as Omana), but others believe it may have been named after other important people or even places in Yemen where some of the original settlers hailed from. It’s hard to say. Pick your favorite story, I guess. 

Oman is located on southeastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula. It shares borders with Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Oman also has several enclaves and exclaves that border with the UAE. Its southern coast touches the Arabian Sea, across from India and Pakistan while the northeastern side (and its capital Muscat) borders the Gulf of Oman. The exclave of Musandam Governorate juts out into the Strait of Hormuz, which is at the tip of the Persian Gulf. At that point, it’s really not that far from Iran. Overall, Oman is hot and dry. There are areas in the mountainous regions of the south where it has more of a tropical climate, though. 

Sultan Qaboos bin Said

The earliest peoples were African Nubians. The oldest settlement we know of is Dereaze, which is located in the city of Ibri. Starting during the 6^th century, this area was ruled by various Persian dynasties. As the Portuguese were traveling around Africa and India, they stopped in Oman during the early 1500s. However, Ottoman Turks captured the city of Muscat and fought back the Portuguese for it. The Imam of Oman, Saif bin Sultan, started pushing to expand their holdings along the Swahili Coast of Africa (along the central part of its eastern coast: Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique). The Omanis also pushed the Portuguese out of many of these areas, including Zanzibar (current-day Tanzania), which was an important piece of property and served as Oman’s capital for a brief time. After several instances of battles and divisions, the country was finally divided between in the interior (called Oman) and the coastal area (named after the capital, Muscat). The British stepped in and helped draft the Treaty of Seeb, which declared that the sultan recognized the interior region’s autonomy, and the external affairs of Oman would be handled by the Sultan of Muscat. Oman gained its independence in 1744 and has been ruled by the Al-Said family since. (This makes it the oldest independent state in the Arab World.) When Sultan Said bin Taimur took over during the mid-1950s, Oman became more of an isolated and feudal country, and disagreements between him and the Imam over oil caused a feud that led to military action. After a coup, Taimur was disposed and Qaboos bin Said al Said became the Sultan. He started out with the goal of modernization across all fronts and was a founding member of the Gulf Cooperation Council. He even extended voting right and other rights to women. However, it wasn’t enough to combat some of his extreme decrees, such as the censorship of the press, criticism of the government, among other violations of human rights. 

Muscat, Oman

Muscat is the largest city in Oman and serves as its capital. The city is located along the northeastern coast. It’s long had the distinction of being an important trade port and at different points in time was ruled by Persians, Portuguese, and the Ottomans. When the current sultan took over in 1970, the city saw a rapid increase in its infrastructure, which led to an increase in economic development. With a city population of about 630,000, there are many things to see like museums, mosques, and markets and malls.

Overall, Oman has a pretty diversified economy. Petroleum and oil remain to be high on Oman’s economic drivers, but tourism is also pretty high up there as well and is growing. Their economy also depends on industry and agriculture (a lot of dates and fish!). They do have a free-trade agreement with the US (and probably other countries), and that helps to build up foreign economic ties. Oman also receives many foreign workers from Asia (especially India) and various places in Africa. They don’t make as much money as native Omanis, but it’s definitely more than what they’d make back home. 

Muhammad Al Ameen Mosque

By far, Islam is the largest religion in Oman with nearly 85% of the people practicing some form or another. In Oman, the largest denomination is Ibadhi, followed by Sunni and Shia. There are also significantly smaller groups of Christians and Hindus with a few other religions represented in the mix. 

The official language of Oman is Arabic, although Baluchi is also spoken many areas of the country. However, there are several indigenous languages that are endangered now. As far as second languages and foreign languages go, most street signs in Oman are written in both English and Arabic, and they were the first country in the Persian Gulf countries to offer German as a foreign language. Because of the number of foreign workers from India, there are a variety of Indian languages spoken in Oman as well. Swahili is often still used because of Oman’s historical ties with the language.

There are many peculiar things about Oman that I’ve read about. Oman is also famous for breeding Arab horses (probably like what was used in the movie Hidalgo?). Because their holy day is Friday, their weekend is Thursday and Friday. (That might be changing to Friday-Saturday to reflect more of a global business schedule.) They apparently don’t have Coke products for some reason (or they’re really hard to find). However, you can find Pepsi products easily. One thing they do have instead are really great coffee shops. They serve coffee in small cups (kind of like a cafezinho in Brazil) along with eating dried dates with it. I already know I’m using dates in one of my recipes. Even with some of its issues, I’m sure there are more quirky things here.

Up next: art and literature

NIGER: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

When I was a kid, I didn’t know how to pronounce the name of this country. In fact, I was a little apprehensive to say it aloud since it looked close to an offensive word. But later on, I learned that it’s pronounced with the French pronunciation (nee-ZHER, not NYE-jer), and that it’s definitely not the same place as Nigeria.

 

Niger is named after the Niger River. In a local language, it was called Ni Ger (River Ger). It’s a common misconception (that I also believed) that Niger was named after the Latin name niger, the word for black in reference to the black skin of the people who lived there. (What a Eurocentric way of thinking.) And because its name is close to that of Nigeria, I also learned the differences between the adjective form: Nigerien refers to people and things from Niger; Nigerian refers to people and things from Nigeria.

This landlocked country is located in West Africa. It’s bordered by Algeria and Libya to the north, Chad to the east, Nigeria to the south, Benin and Burkina Faso to the southwest, and Mali to the west. Located between the Sahara in the north and the Sub-Saharan regions in the south, it’s the sixth largest country by area in Africa and 22^nd in the world. The Niger River cuts through the far southwestern corner of the country and through the capital city of Niamey. Its desert area is hot and dry with sand dunes and desert plains while the areas around the river basin experience a tropical climate.

Once upon a time, a long, long, time ago, Niger wasn’t covered with desert. These areas were covered in fertile grasslands perfect for raising cattle and growing crops. But the Sahara Desert started creeping its way farther south about 7000 years ago. By about the 5^th century BC, this area became part of the crossroads between African migration from the northwest and trans-African trade routes with Arab traders. This also brought along the introduction of Islam. Parts of Niger were included as part of several empires throughout the centuries: Songhai, Hausa, Mali, and Kanem-Bornu. During the 19^th century, French explorers finally made their way to the lands of Niger. As they made their way across, they laid claim to the land and people based on European standards without a thought to the people who actually lived there. And the Nigeriens were not having it. Many revolted against the colonialism, but by 1922, they stopped resisting (as much) and became a French colony. In 1958, Niger became an autonomous state within the French community but gained its independence two years later. However, it started its independence as a one-party state and then spent most of the next 35 years toggling between military coups and a political stability.

The capital and largest city is Niamey (pronounced nya-MAY if you go with the French pronunciation, although many American English speakers pronounce it NEE-uh-may). The city was originally a small town and didn’t rise to prominence until the French decided to house a colonial post that eventually grew into its capital in 1926. Although it’s not centrally located, it’s the center of almost everything in the country: government, commerce, education, media, and transportation. There are several universities, museums, sports venues, markets, and many mosques.

Most people in Niger depend on subsistence farming and livestock as their main means of income. Agriculture is one of Niger’s primary economic drivers. However, desertification and droughts have had negative impacts on their crops in the past. The country also has some of the world’s largest deposits of uranium, but declines in demand has led to a weakened economy. On the upside of things, oil was discovered in the Tenere Desert back in the 1970s, but they never really had any serious production because some exploration tests showed there wasn’t enough to pursue. That idea was overturned a few years ago, and Niger produced its first barrels of oil back in 2011. Even so, Niger often depends on financial assistance and foreign aid from other countries. 

Nearly 80% of Nigeriens are Muslim while the remaining 20% consist of a smaller Christian population. Of the Muslims in Niger, the majority are Sunni. There is a certain amount of crossover with indigenous animism, as is found in many countries in Africa. And actually the country has established a constitutional separation of church and state.

The official language of Niger is French, left over from its colonial days. As a multi-lingual country, French is often used as a lingua franca as well. It’s the official language of the government and is spoken as a second language for many of its residents who were fortunate enough to continue their education abroad. Niger has also declared ten national languages: Arabic, Buduma, Hausa, Kanuri, Tassawaq, Tebu, Tamasheq, Zarma/Songhai, Gourmanchéma, and Fulfulde.

Despite its arid landscape, the country has quite a biodiversity. Animals like the cheetah, a variety of gazelle, the oryz, West African lion, elephant, antelopes, and buffaloes are found throughout the country. The Niger River itself is home to 20 species of fish that aren’t found any place else on earth except in the Niger River. There have even been dinosaur bones found hidden away in areas uncovered in the Sahara Desert. I’ve already found my recipes for this country, and I’m looking forward to finding out what else is hidden away in this country.

Up next: art and literature

KUWAIT: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

I was in 5^th grade when I first heard about Kuwait. It was 1991. I was at the age when I was just beginning to understand the world around me on a global scale. I watched Yugoslavia and Russia break up as well as the fall of the Berlin Wall two years earlier. I didn’t understand what was going on exactly, but I watched it and tried to piece it together in my 11-year-old head. This was the year the US entered Kuwait to fight against the Iraqi occupation and annexation of Kuwait. I can distinctively remember the night-vision videos of the scud missiles, green streaks across a blackened screen.

 

The name Kuwait is stemmed from a diminutive form of the word kut or kout, which means “fortress on the water.” The country was named after the capital city of the same name. Kuwait’s strategic location on the Persian Gulf has been beneficial throughout its history. This small country is located at the head of the Persian Gulf, surrounded by Saudi Arabia and Iraq. It also includes nine islands, eight of which are uninhabited. During the summers in Kuwait, the temperatures are very hot (I just looked the other day, and it was 109ºF.), and they are often subject to dust storms during this season. Their winters are still moderately warm with the average daytime temperatures in the 50-60s and lows in the 20-30s.  

The ancient Mesopotamians first settled on the island of Failaka (the only inhabited island). The ancient Greeks eventually started moving into this area, and Alexander the Great took the area in the name of Greece. Then the Sassanid Empire moved in and took over, calling the place Meshan. By the 1500s, the Portuguese moved into this area and built a fortress settlement. A small fishing village called Kuwait was built on the bay during the 1600s. Although it changed hands many times, it quickly grew to be a major port city for the shipping industry. In fact, the city of Kuwait was one of the major stops for goods and spices from Southeast Asia to enter the Middle East and Europe. Likewise, it was also an important city for the boat-building industry as well. Because of all of this trade, the city was booming and built a reputation for being a very wealthy city. However, this all changed with WWI: Britain imposed a sanction on the country because of their support for the Ottoman Empire, which had a crippling effect on its economy. Their once-revered pearling industry also collapsed at the same time. During much of the 1920s-1930s, Saudi Arabia placed economic and military actions against Kuwait, eventually taking much of their land for themselves. Luckily for its impoverished citizens, oil was discovered. From the time after WWII to the early 1980s, Kuwait saw immense growth in the public and private sector, mostly driven by its investments in oil. The country developed in areas reflective of Western countries; they enjoyed a free press, a thriving theatre arts scene, Western style clothing, and a high quality of life. Although Kuwait supported Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War, Saddam Hussein later claimed that Kuwait was a province of the country as a means to invade (although during his last days, Saddam claims that Kuwaiti officials insulted and threatened his family and that’s why he acted as he did. Who knows how much truth is in any of this?). After the U.S. got involved, the Iraqis did retreat but not before they lit hundreds of oil fields on fire as they were leaving. Today, Kuwait is still a freer country in comparison with some of its neighbors in the region and enjoys a comfortable quality of life for most people. 

  

Kuwait City is the capital city and largest city in Kuwait. The city has a little over 2 million people in its metro area, making it about the same size as Houston, Texas or Havana, Cuba. Lying on the Kuwait Bay, it serves as a major port in the Persian Gulf. Kuwait City is not only the center of the government, but it’s also the cultural, financial, and educational capital of the country as well. Roughly 98% of Kuwaitis live in the urban areas. When the Iraqis burned many of the oil fields in the early 1990s, it left large sections of land unusable due to soil contamination. However, Kuwait has taken many of its oil dollars and put it back into its country, its people, and its infrastructure. This city is very much a modern oasis in the desert. It’s known for its space-age-looking buildings, towers, and technology. 

  

Because of Kuwait’s oil being a driving factor in its economy, its currency, the Kuwaiti dinar, is the most valuable currency in the world. Nearly 94% of their exports are in petroleum-based products. Kuwait is also seeing a rise in young entrepreneurs. Real estate is prime and can be very expensive, and many of these young entrepreneurs are often technologically savvy when it comes to marketing, often utilizing Instagram to advertise their businesses. I think this is great. (I have two Instagram accounts: for this blog, I post to @kayosmada, and I have one called @indyinblackandwhite where I take photos of areas in and around Indianapolis in black and white.) Because Kuwait practically has no agriculture of its own other than some fishing, it must import almost all of its food from other countries. It is also the leader of the Arab-region countries in foreign investments. 

The vast majority of Kuwaitis are Muslim (mostly Sunni). There are also significant pockets of Buddhists, Sikhs, Hindus, Bahá’í, and Christians.

 

The official language in Kuwait is Arabic, and more specifically Kuwaiti Arabic. They also have their own version of sign language. However, English is often understood by many people and is often used in business. 

Several years ago, Oprah did a special on “Women at 30,” highlighting how 30-year-old women live around the world. One of her guests was a woman from Kuwait. She made waves because her great-uncle was the Emir, and she chose to marry outside of royalty. But she also highlighted several things about Kuwait that surprised me: when Kuwaitis marry, the Emir gives them $12,000 to get started on their lives. They also get free education (including college), free medical care, and no one pays taxes (I believe they use the revenues from oil to fund projects we would normally pay for in tax dollars—how different than how it works in the US where the CEOs of the oil companies pocket the majority of these dollars and don’t spread it out. If trickle down economics worked like they say it does, then gas station employees should be making $22/hour or something). People live fairly comfortable lives here, and unemployment is around 3.5%. However, even as one of the most democratic countries in the Middle East, women still don’t have the right to vote here. But what they do have are some tasty recipes, many of which are inspired from all over the Arab world and Asia, and I can’t wait to try them out.

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