Diversity has become part of our lives. People marry outside of their cultures creating a beautiful, mixed heritage. Sometimes, it includes an Arabic one, too. A lot of the times, the kids of that family grow up away from their extended family members and can’t even speak the same language. This is especially important for a number of reasons. Let’s take a look at why learning...
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One of the fastest-growing sectors and businesses in the Middle East are Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). Some estimates are predicting that by 2022 the sector will bring in about $920USD billion to the Gulf Cooperation Council members alone. Add to that the fact that more than 40% of the GCC’s population is under 25. You can see why many countries within the council promote...
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The history of ceramics in Islamic art is unique like none of its contemporaries. The rest of the world was making unglazed pottery. Meanwhile, Islamic potters were developing a tin-opacified glazing. Some of these are on the blue-painted ware of Basra, Iraq, that dates as far back as 700 AD. Additionally, 9th century Iraqi Islamic potters also contributed to the creation of stonepaste ceramics. This is...
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Jokes and a sense of humor have pretty much existed in every culture since mankind’s beginning. Indeed, in every culture around the world, the goal of jokes and humor is to reduce the daily pressures of life, creating a sense of understanding and often bringing us together. In this regard, the Arab world is no different. Although they are often stereotyped in the West, Arabs...
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We’ve already talked about Moroccan food and how mouthwatering it is. However, do you want to know what’s even more mouthwatering than Moroccan main courses? That’s right! Moroccan desserts and here are a few to whet your appetite: Halwa Chebakia Halwa Chebakia is a chewy, crunchy, honey-coated Moroccan sesame cookie. Moroccans make it by arranging rolled-out dough into a flower shape, frying it and then dipping it into...
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Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Islamic luxury glassware was the most sophisticated glass Europe and China were importing. This happened after Islam overtook most of the traditional glass-producing territories of both the Sasanian and Roman Empires. In Pre-Islamic times, figurative decoration played a small part in the making of Arabic glass. So, the change from Persian and Roman glassmaking was not abrupt. As a...
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In the United States in 2018, culinary experts from all over America were hyping Moroccan food as the next “up-and-coming cuisine”. Four out of 10 consumers had an interest in the kingdom’s savory dishes. However, what Western chefs were touting as the latest fad in food was really nothing new to Moroccans. They had already been “trending” the blend of irresistible flavors and beautifully textured...
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