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Emergence of the Nation. Saudi Arabia's cultural roots lie deep in antiquity. Although
remote from centers of ancient civilizations, Arabia's people had a multiplicity of
contacts with Egypt, Syria, and Iraq and with the Roman and Byzantine empires.
Ancient Arabia was home to states, cities, and other manifestations of complex cultures
and societies. Of particular significance to ancient Arabia was the domestication of the
dromedary (one-humped camel) in the southern part of the peninsula between 3000
and 2500B.C.E.By 1000B.C.E., camels were important in the lucrative caravan trade,
especially for the transport of incense, between southern Arabia and markets in the
north. The invention of the north Arabian camel saddle between about 500 and
100B.C.E.allowed tribally organized camel raisers to enhance their power and influence.
Armed camel raisers did not subsist on their own in desert Arabia but depended on
foods produced by farmers in the region's oases and on a wide range of products,
including weapons, manufactured by local craftspeople. The Bedouin obtained some of
their necessities through tribute in return for their protection of farmers and craftspeople.
Market exchange also existed, and the output of nomadic and sedentary producers was
marketed locally and, in the case of camels and horses, through long-distance trade.
Markets and their specialized personnel of merchants and traders are as indigenous to
the culture of Arabia as are Bedouin camel raisers and oasis-dwelling farmers.
Knowledge of the state as an institution has also long been present, although the
exercise of effective state power was often lacking in the past.
The foundation and legitimacy of the state are linked to Islam, which is itself historically
linked to Arabia. Muslims believe that God (Allah) sent His final revelation "in clear
Arabic," in the form of the holy Koran, through His Messenger, Muhammad. This
occurred first in and around Mecca and then in Medina beginning in 622 C.E., which
marks the first year of the Islamic era (1A.H.). By the time of Muhammad's death in 632,
almost all the tribal and local communities in Arabia had declared their loyalty to him as
a political leader and most had accepted Islam. The process of conversion was
completed under the leadership of Islam's first caliph, Abu Bakr. The religion was then
carried by Arabian converts throughout the Middle East and north Africa.
Islam brought not only a new religion but a new way of life that included innovations in
legal and political concepts and practices and a new identity that was universalistic and
cosmopolitan. The new Muslim identity, politics, and laws transcended the social and
cultural borders of existing communities that had been organized as localities or
kinbased tribes.
MATERIAL CULTURE
FOOD
Arabian cuisine is strong flavored and spicy. If you like rich combinations of food, you will
definitely like the food in Saudi Arabia. Most dishes contain meat, rice, wheat, vegetables
and spices that give these recipes a special flavor.
Fast food is a major enterprise in Saudi Arabia. The major chains like McDonalds, Burger
King, Pizza Hut, Subway, Hardee's, Little Caesars, Cinnabon, Dunkin Donuts to name a few.
The most common local fast food is the kebab, locally known as the S hawarma
Al-Baik - serving deep fried chicken and shrimp - this is the Arabian version of KFC
aka Kentucky Fried Chicken
Shawerma Joha - serving chicken and falafel wrapped
Kudu - serving many kinds of sandwiches - this is the Arabian version of Subway
The people of Saudi Arabia are descended from tribes of nomadic sheep and goat herders and
maintain many of the traditions of their past. Traditional foods like dates, fatir (flat
bread), arikah (bread from the southwestern part of the country), and hawayij (a spice blend) are
still eaten by Saudis today, although most Saudis have settled in towns and cities and no longer
follow the nomadic lifestyle. Saudi Arabia is also home to Mecca, the origin and spiritual center
of Islam. The culture, as well as the laws of Saudi Arabia, is founded on Islamic principles,
including the dietary restrictions against eating pork or drinking alcohol.
Dates and sweet tea are favorite snacks for Saudis, and buttermilk, cola, and a yogurt
drink known as lassi are popular beverages. Coffee has been a central part of Saudi life
for centuries, with an intricate ceremony to prepare and serve it. Preparing the coffee
involves four different pots in which the coffee grounds, water, and spices are combined
and brewed before being served in small cups. It is considered very rude to refuse a
cup of coffee offered by the host, and it is most polite to accept odd numbers of cups
(one, three, five, etc.). Saudi men spend a great deal of time in coffeehouses, drinking
coffee or tea and talking.
FLAG
The flag of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Arabic: )علم المملكة العربية السعوديةis the flag used by the
government of Saudi Arabiasince March 15, 1973. It is a green flag featuring in white
an Arabic inscription and a sword. The inscription is the Islamic creed, or shahada.
The Arabic inscription on the flag, written in the calligraphic Thuluth script, is
the shahada or Islamic declaration of faith:
Land Tenure and Property. Land developed for agricultural, residential, commercial,
and industrial uses that has been demarcated is usually owned as private property
(mulk) and can be bought and sold freely. Some property, however, may be held as a
trust (waqf) for the support of a religious institution or an owner's descendants.
Nondemarcated, undeveloped land in the desert belongs to the state, but traditional
rights of access to rangeland and the ownership of water wells dug by nomads or their
ancestors are informally attributed to lineages and clans in Bedouin communities. Much
land in older settlements is encumbered by informal but powerful ancestral claims of
ownership and tenure.
CLOTHING
The Saudi traditional dress is our discovery of the day. Although one might think that clothes in the
Arab world are all alike, there still are details that distinguish them from each other. Custom
Qamis scrutinizes the Saudi male dress code, from the Qamis to the Shemagh, without
forgetting the Bisht.
The Saudi Qamis, also called Thawb or Thobe, refers to that white long sleeved dress. It truly
represents the centerpiece of the Saudi traditional dress and is therefore worn by all the locals. Made
of cotton and synthetic fabric, Thawbs are generally white during summer and spring. In winter, they
are to be found in darker black and blue shades. Since Saudi Arabia is a region with an arid
climate, the Qamis constitutes the ideal clothing as it offers as much comfort as freshness to the one
wearing it. The Saudi Thawb differs from the Qamis of neighboring countries in some fine details. The
collar of the Saudi Qamis contains two buttons while its sleeves are as tight as those of a regular
shirt. These sleeves are devoid of buttons but have holes for cufflinks.
The Saudi coat known as the “Bisht” is a fine garment that is worn over the Qamis. It is a very
popular garment both in Saudi Arabia and the surrounding Arab countries. Fashionable and classy,
the Bisht is only worn during special occasions like weddings or religious holidays. It is also the garb
the imam wears on Friday sermons. The Saudi coatmay be beige, black, brown, gray or cream. It is
decorated with golden embroidery and closes by means of two strings with golden tassels. In winter,
people wear a Bisht made of camel-hair wool to endure the low season temperatures.
Source: www.majilet.com
The Saudi Headdress
The Saudi headgear is intrinsic to men. Saudis all wear something on their head. Moreover, due to
a blazing sun and many sandstorms, it has become an indispensable accessory.
The Shemagh
The Shemagh is a scarf with a red and white checkered pattern. The price of this woven cotton
fabric varies depending on the quality of the yarn it is made of. The more the scarf will be processed,
the more expensive it will be. There even are woolen models available for cold days. This traditional
garment of the Saudis may also be worn on the head, or on a Taqiyah for more steadiness. The
Shemagh is maintained by an Iqal: an Arab clothing accessory. It serves to protect from the sun or
sandstorms and may be worn in different ways: loose, on the sides, towards the rear, or even tied in
a knot.
The Taqiyah
The Taqiyah or Sheshiya is a white embroidered cap. It allows one to fasten the Ghutra or Shemagh
so that the headscarf doesn’t slide.
The Iqal
Made of synthetic yarns or goat wool, the Iqal, Agal or Igal is a clothing accessory in the form of dual
hoops. It keeps the Ghutra or Keffiyeh in place. Some of its models have a Tarbusha (a small cord
with a suspended tassel at the rear).
The Sandals
Sandals, which are called “N3ala”, are an extra accessory of the Saudi traditional dress. Due to the
sunny weather, it is hard not to notice them since they are worn by all citizens in the Saudi Kingdom.
Made out of leather or plastic, its price varies depending on the material to be used.
The geographical location, climate and religious code are all criteria that determine the dress code
of a country. The Saudi, Emirati and Qatari Qamis reflect modesty in cut clothing, comfort and
freshness in a garment and the elegance of white. Although they seem identical at first, their collars
or sleeves subtly remind us of their country of origin.
Saudi women enjoy fashionable clothing and take great pride in their appearance; however
in public the law of the land states that they should cover their everyday wear with a thick,
opaque and loose fitting cloak that does not show off her body.
The strictness of the dress code in Saudi varies by region. Jeddah is seen as less
conservative than Riyadh and there are different types of coverage depending on the
implemented Purdah of that particular region.
Abaya: The abaya covers the entire body and the veil covers the head and hair but the face
is open and visible.
Burqa: this is a complete covering that covers a woman head to toe, including her hands
and entire face, so that not even the eyes are visible.
Niqab: people often use the terms burqa and nigab interchangeably; however, the
difference between the two is that the nigab has a small slit open for the eyes.
Hijab: this is the name given to the traditional head covering that is worn all over the world.
Chador: similar to a hijab, the chador covers the shoulders like a drape.
Socialization
Child Rearing and Education. Mothers used to give birth at home, perhaps with the
assistance of a midwife. Infants were cared for by their mothers, who carried them
everywhere and nursed them. Other women in extended households, including longtime
domestic servants, participated actively in rearing children, teaching them Arabian
culture and mores. Fathers and uncles and grandfathers did not take part in child care
but played with the children, kissed them, and taught them genealogies and morality.
They taught them generosity and hospitality by example.
Intense family and kin-based socialization at home is now mainly a memory. Birth takes
place at a hospital, and infant boys are circumcised there before going home (girls are
not circumcised). A foreign maid or nanny who may speak little or no Arabic often does
much of the work of child rearing. This is an issue that troubles many Saudi Arabians.
Breast-feeding sometimes is rejected for not being modern. While much visiting goes on
among relatives, conjugal family households today do not provide the rich family
learning setting of the past.
Boys and girls go to kindergarten and the rest of the educational system. In 1970, the
literacy rate was 15 percent for men and 2 percent for women. In 1990, the rate was 73
percent for men and 48 percent for women, and it is even higher now. The increased
role of the school in society represents a break with the past, yet there is also continuity.
Religious subjects and the Arabic language are strongly represented in curricula but are
not always taught in traditional ways. Universities have produced tens of thousands of
graduates in a single generation. Half or more of those graduates are women.
Marriage, Family, and Kinship
Marriage.Traditionally, marriage was between paternal first cousins or other patrilineally
related kin. It was customary for potential spouses not to meet before the wedding night,
and marriages had to be arranged by fathers, mothers, and other relatives. These
practices are changing slowly and unevenly, but the tendency is toward fewer close-
cousin marriages and for the couple to communicate with each other before the
wedding. Parents still arrange marriages but are more likely to manage indirectly and
from the background. Men are allowed to have four wives at a time as long as they can
treat them equally, but polygyny is uncommon in most of the population. Marriage is
considered a necessary part of life, and almost all adults marry. Marriage is usually a
costly affair. Divorce is relatively easy for men and difficult for women. Divorce rates are
high, and remarriage is common, especially for men.
Domestic Unit. In traditional residence pattern, a bride joined her husband in his
father's household. Authority was held by the husband's father, and the new wife was
under the control of her mother-in-law. Neolocal residence is now the norm, or at least
the ideal, for newly married couples. In these smaller conjugal families, the roles of
husbands and wives feature greater equality and more sharing of responsibilities.
Authority formally rests with the husband, who also has the religiously sanctioned duty
of providing for the needs of his wife and children.
Inheritance. The stipulations of Islam are widely followed in the inheritance of property.
Sons inherit twice the share of daughters from their fathers. Provisions exist for a widow
to inherit a small portion, but sons are enjoined to support their mothers, especially
widowed or divorced mothers. Custom, but not the Sharia, allows immobile property to
be inherited intact by male descendants; in such cases, daughters are usually given a
"share" of a potential inheritance in money or other items when they marry.
Kin Groups. Kinship is patrilineal, and women continue to remain members of their kin
groups after marriage. Among Bedouin and many rural settlers, kin groups identified by
ancestral names in larger aggregations include lineages, clans, and tribes and have
major social significance. Genealogy is of great interest; although corporate kin groups
have largely ceased to exist, many people continue to identify with and take pride in
their lineage, clan, and tribal names and descent.
Sources
https://www.footprintsrecruiting.com/learn-about-teaching-abroad/country-guides/country/saudi-
arabia/food-saudi-arabia
http://www.foodbycountry.com/Kazakhstan-to-South-Africa/Saudi-
Arabia.html#ixzz5WfbKZorB
https://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Saudi-Arabia.html
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-worldcivilization/chapter/the-nomadic-tribes-of-
arabia/
https://www.expatwoman.com/saudi-arabia/guide/dress-code-in-saudi-arabia
https://www.custom-qamis.com/en/blog/presentation-du-blog/the-traditional-costume-of-saudi-
arabia