When it comes to the food culture of Saudi Arabia, Saudis have been eating the same foods that they have traditionally eaten for hundreds of years. And although the average meal of a Bedouin may not be as fancy as some of those prepared in Saudi’s urban areas, it includes the same ingredients: fava beans, wheat, rice, yogurt, dates, and chicken. These will always remain popular...
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Being the largest country in the Middle East, it almost goes without saying that Saudi Arabia has a diverse climate and geography. This diversity, along with the kingdom’s official religion of Islam, has had a great influence on many aspects of its culture. This includes its traditional clothing. Indeed, the national dress of Saudi Arabia’s people conforms to Islamic standards, local traditions, and climatic conditions....
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Jordan's culture is a pleasant mix of old and new. The Jordan capital, Amman, has rapidly become one of the most sophisticated cities in the Middle East. However, as with other aspects of their culture, how Jordanians dress varies throughout the Hashemite Kingdom. For example, in big cities, it’s natural for people to dress in a more Western style. However, in rural areas Jordanians and Bedouin...
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With an area of less than 2,150,000 km2, Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Middle East. As the motherland of both Arabs and Islam, its influence on its neighbors is certainly unquestionable. If you think about it, even on the rest of the Arab world. The people of Saudi Arabia primarily identify with the cultures of Muslims, Arabs and Bedouins as well as the...
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Borrowing culinary traits from its surrounding countries, Palestinian food is a sumptuous assortment of vibrant and flavorful dishes that have an identity all their own. Each governate having its own specialties and cooking secrets. Thus, Palestine is a medley of food that varies from summer to winter, from seaside to mountaintop, from village to city, from street to street, and sometimes even from house to...
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Did you know that, along with the climate, local population occupations, and other customs and traditions, Palestine can be divided into three geographical areas when it comes to clothing traditions? Well, it’s true. You’ll find very little embroidery incorporated into the folk dress of the people living in the highland regions because the women there have very little time for sewing as they are busy helping farm the...
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Ah, spring - that time of year when, as the famous poet Lord Alfred Tennyson wrote “… a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.” It’s true for young men all around the world, even in Arabic speaking countries, where finding love in spring means marriage in summer which, in turn, means it’s also time for friends, family and neighbors to polish up...
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When we talk about Iraqi dishes it’s hard to know where to begin. Iraqi cuisine, like its art and culture, is the sum of its varied and rich past. Indeed, the culinary history of Iraq reflects the palates of successive ancient civilizations. Some include Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians, ancient Persians, and Mesopotamian Arabs. Yet, from its delicious bread and tasty stews to its sweet layered cakes and to grilled kebabs, Iraqi cuisine has retained much in the way...
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The history of Iraqi fashion is incredibly diverse. This is due to the different cultures and influences since Iraq became an independent state in the late 1950s. Back then, most men and women in the country wore Western clothing. This was done to show their independent progressive stance both in the Arab culture world and around the globe, as well. However, within the last two...
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Syria is a moderately large country that includes many different religious and ethnic groups. You will hear of Arabs, Assyrians, Kurds, Armenians, Circassians, and Turkmen who differ in cultural traditions. As a result, writing about the subject of traditional Syrian clothing can prove to be challenging. There is more than one Syrian way to dress. It ranges from city to city and from region to...
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