The Middle East

 by Levantine Center

Cultural Relatedness Between The Middle East And North Africa

North Africa and the Middle East are not divided naturally. This political division includes Arab countries which are located geographically in a certain region

The strange case is Egypt, which belongs to the North African geographical region but is part of what we know now as the Middle East.

“The two main things that keep the MENA (this is how the sum of the regions is usually called) together are religion and language.”

Religion And Language

The two main things that keep the MENA (this is how the sum of the regions is usually called) together are religion and language. On one hand, the Arab is what most people speak, and to defeat a common myth, Arabic is not a religion, but a language and a bloodline that can be inherited.

The true strongest religion among them is Islam, although, the region was created politically and it would be unfair not to recognize the huge amount of minorities that live there. As an example of this, the territory that was given to the Jewish people after WWII known as Israel today bears a huge amount of very orthodox and enthusiastic people who don´t practice Islam, but their own religion.

“According to a recent study by the Oil & Gas Journal, more than half of the world´s oil and gas reserves is found in this region.”

The World’s Reserve

According to a recent study by the Oil & Gas Journal, more than half of the world´s oil and gas reserves is found in this region. The importance of this economic fact is that the flourishing society in these countries has a strong impact on both, cultural and social growth. It´s estimated that the investments being made in education, arts and culture will make the region even more powerful bringing most ethnical differences to an end. An example of this effort is the action being carried on by the information network On the Move who are financing entrepreneurs to develop cultural actions within the MENA territory and Europe with the aim of fostering collaborative actions in the field of cultural management. Another aim of the program called EUNIC is to develop skills through coaching that might be necessary for participants to reach a new understanding on several areas like mapping out and professionalizing the cultural and creative sectors as well as managing cultural projects.

Conclusion

Political stability and economic wealth will turn directly into a new cultural paradigm for the entire region. Both Middle East and North Africa are composed of countries that have a lot in common as well as a great future ahead of them through collaboration.

The strong historical legacy might lead into a bright cultural future if collaboration occurs.

in Levantine Center / North Africa / The Culture / The Middle East 0 comments
 by Levantine Center

The Amazing Cultures That Are Exclusive To Middle East

Well, for starters, we have to say that the Middle East is not a geographical denomination.

The borders that make the region are not based on natural phenomenon or continent distinction, they are continuously shifting and reshaping as is human culture and religion.

That being said, the strong links between the different people of the region are rooted deeply. Here are some of the most important and amazing cultures to be found in the region.

“Jordan is mostly an Arab-country and as such, it remains a very friendly and warm environment very hospitable for foreigners.”

Jordanian As An Example

Jordan is mostly an Arab-country and as such, it remains a very friendly and warm environment very hospitable for foreigners. Breaking the rules of etiquette is usually forgiven easily and the effort made to respect them is always very welcome. Although arranged marriages are still very common, women play a significant role in society, they are entitled to a full education, can drive and vote.

When it comes to beliefs and religion, the borders of Jordan contain a mix that´s incredibly varied and complex. There are Bedouins who claim to be the first and only real Arabs living in the same place with Muslims, Christians, and Dom-gypsies.

“The cultural divergence between the city and the country-side is very notorious.”

The cultural divergence between the city and the country-side is very notorious. For Bedouins, the only modern civilization artifact in their lives might be a motorized vehicle to move faster while the more modern Jordanians favor a full-on city life which involves theatre, music, and cinema from abroad. The strongest legacy and cultural interaction among Jordanians are still oral but after WWII there has been a great number of authors who have gained recognition for their prose or like Mustafa Whabi Al-Tal who is one of the most important Arab poets of the 20th century. There´s a filming institute in the country backed by Steven Spielberg that has given formed directors and cinematographers who are world-class.

Another very interesting fact is that Jordanians are very young, more than a third of the country is currently under fifteen years old and education is very strong.

Conclusion

We selected Jordan for the simple reason that it is very much the way life is lived in the whole of Middle East. The cultural and religious clash within the same political territory is something very common as well as the mix between antique customs being practiced for thousands of years with very modern state-of-the-art education and arts.

The countries that form the Middle East are developing into a better way to include all elements into the same mix.

in Levantine Center / The Culture / The Middle East 0 comments
 by Levantine Center

Foods That Can Only Be Found In the Middle East

As we all know, the globalized world we live in every day has blended all cultures and found new market niches to commercialize foreign food in virtually every country in the world.

Globalized Mutations

Since migration is so common nowadays, it´s fairly easy for any global citizen to find pairs and a restaurant to go eat and have fun, regardless of the city in the world they are currently at. One very interesting phenomenon is that the lack of some specific ingredients to prepare certain recipes makes the imagination of chefs and cooks go wild and give birth to brand new combinations based on ancient knowledge: the famous globalized mutations. This being said, we can´t assure you these would be something that can´t be found anywhere outside the country of origin but are things you should definitely try if you come across with them.

Tagine

This particular dish takes the name from the recipient (pot) it is cooked in. It is a North African traditional tribal dish found in several countries like Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. Vegetables and meat are cooked together in the same container only in the liquids each ingredient releases during the cooking. No extra water is added and the entire vapor generated within the pot is condensed in its conical hat ‘raining’ over and adding up to the natural juices. This delight is often served with some couscous, which is very similar to rice.

Kefta

It might sound familiar because of the utterly known kofta that the Indian cuisine has made famous around the world. The kefta is previous, a predecessor that comes in a simpler but equally tasteful presentation: simple ground meat (it can be lamb or cow) seasoned only mildly with parsley and paprika. Once it is prepared, It is grilled like a kebab and served (just with no gravy).

Mujaddara

If you like cumin, you´re going to love this dish, it uses heavy doses in its preparation. It is an ideal meal for a cold winter evening made of rice and lentils, which are cooked together along with a huge combination of spices including cumin. This is only the bottom part of this dish which is artistically topped with some crispy fried onions that make that ideal contrast of crunchy and soft, stewed, heavily spiced lentils and rice.

Boreks

Historically, the Turkish cuisine has not received the attention it deserves. This phyllo dough snack can be filled with an endless variety of fillings including heavily seasoned meat, spinach with cheese and as many others as the imagination can go. These savory pastries do make a great snack but also, in larger quantities, can turn into a lunch or a dinner.

Ballouria

Did anyone say dessert? Well, this is a pastry that can work as a snack for some middle-of-the-night trip to the fridge or a great after-dinner delight. It features a wheat covering, an astonishing amount of pistachios and is completely drenched in treacle. As a snack or as a desert, this is an awesome sweet thing to have around.

The Left Outs

We haven´t included the most popular ones like Shawarma, tabbouleh, hummus, baklava, and falafels because that´s something anyone can buy and try almost anywhere in the world.

If you’re feeling adventurous, try these suggestions and you won´t go wrong.

in Art & Heritage / Levantine Center / The Culture / The Middle East 0 comments