February Edition: Middle Eastern Culture

CULTURE TALK CULTURE TALK

MIDDLE EASTERN MIDDLE EASTERN CCULTURE ULTURE

I S S U E 1 0

Issue 10 is a journalistic exploration of Middle Eastern life and culture. 2023 has been a year of change for Middle Eastern communities across the world. From women's rights to social movements to every day life in major cities, this Culture Talk edition seeks to spotlight Middle Eastern as a whole.

I S S U E 1 0

VOLUME 1: MIDDLE EASTERN CULTURE

FIND HER ART AT:

Sumerianartt

Hawra is a 22 year old Iraqi-American woman and artist. She has always had a passion for art since she was a child. She has spent time living in the Middle East (UAE, Oman, and Kuwait) where she joined many art contests showcasing her artwork Hawra learned a lot about the gulf culture there and thoroughly enjoyed it. She started her page "Sumerian Art" back in 2020 to embrace the beauty of Iraq, and day by day started creating pieces from all over the Middle East, because media only portrays a small portion of Middle Eastern Culture. Therefore, she pushed herself to showcase it from every tiny and lovely detail. She worked long and hard hours to create a variety of her pieces. She loves hearing people express their gratitude for different cultures around the world and that her work provides cultural representation which makes it all worth it Her motto is to keep pushing harder and working harder to highlight each culture's unique beauty. This is all the more reason that this Culture Talk edition features artists such as Hawra who strive to empower the cultural community through their artistic spirit It is so important for audiences to stay educated on current events and movement happening in real time. Through art, Hawra is an excellent example of weaving heritage and personal experiences together

Contact/ Follow:

Instagram: @sumerianartt

https://www instagram com/sumerianartt/

CultureTalk: Middle Eastern Culture

LetterfromourEditors:AnushaNatarajan (founder)&MillaNguyen(chiefmagazineeditor) 6-8

"MyPersianPride:APersonalInterview"

"Women's Rights in the Middle East"

"Middle East Diaspora to Latin America" 9-12 13-15 16-19

20-22

"DiscoveringtheHistoryof

"A Film Review: "The Breadwinner" and "Persepolis" 23-24

"Mahsa Amini and Iranian Women Around the World"

"MiddleEasternHarmony:AGallery" 41

TheWrapUp:byMillaNguyen

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

Welcome to our 10th edition of the Culture Talk Magazine where our members have deep dived into Middle Eastern culture from the past and present

The Middle East has been an ever growing region in the world from its rich culture to its complex history It boasts the birthplace of three of the world’s most populous religions: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism

Not only is Arabic the prominent language, but also Hebrew, Kurdish, Persian, and Turkish are also spoken in the region. French and Spanish are also sporadically spoken in different parts of the region, primarily in North Africa and the Levant regions

Our magazine pieces have highlighted the evolution of the Middle Eastern diaspora, women ’ s rights, culture, and history

We will first start off with Anusha Natarajan as her piece focuses on the Middle Eastern migration to Latin America and how the community was able to shape their identity in the region

Following that, Sanjith Prabhu looks closely at Persian identity as he interviews his classmate on the impact of being a Persian American in today’s world.

Ananyaa Mahajan provides a timeline and historical background on women ’ s rights in the Middle East and the role that different stakeholders have played in shaping women ’ s rights in the region

In collaboration, Milla Nguyen and Maryssa Orta offer their opinion and review over the two documentaries that center on women and family life in “The Breadwinner" and "Persepolis" Read their perspectives and commentary over the significance of these documentaries

Read more about the history of falafels in Aishu Senthil’s piece on Middle Eastern cuisine The cuisine has been significantly influenced by African and Asian culture

Milla Nguyen details the origins of the Iranian protests over the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022 This piece details how the protests became a global phenomenon and what women ' s rights look like in the future.

Check out the artwork from many of our Middle Eastern artists who have been based in many countries around the world from Iran to Canada

Middle Eastern culture, politics, and history play a key role in shaping our world today. We hope you all take away a new perspective from reading through this edition

--- Anusha Natarajan & Milla Nguyen

Middle East Diaspora to Latin America

by: Anusha Natarajan

Latin America has been an ever-growing region of the world that holds rich history and culture Thousands of Indigenous peoples have resided in a wide variety of countries in the region and have influenced language and cuisine for centuries to come

Opportunity brought the Spanish and Portuguese into Latin America during the 16th century. They began to shape Latin America in bringing in the social hierarchical systems, religion, and diseases.

The 19th century then hit, and several of the countries received independence from Spain and Portugal, and began to build their own identities in establishing a government representing the people. The 19th century was not only known for independence revolutions, but it was also one of the crucial centuries that brought together immigrants from different places around the world. In the U.S., there were a series of immigration waves that brought in different

communities The first wave was primarily British migrants, and the second wave consisted of German and Irish migrants The element that united these communities: is opportunity Same can be said for the Middle Eastern and North African migrants who made their way to Latin America from the Ottoman empire The Ottoman empire was experiencing a slow downfall when it came to garnering economic opportunities and social mobility. Between 1860 and 1914, nearly 600,000 migrants from the Middle East arrived in Latin America in search of those opportunities for themselves and the future generations.

Upon arrival, Middle Eastern populations were quick to establish their presence in the countries by bringing in their language, culture, and other crucial traditions to maintain their identity.

In 1893, Syrian and Lebanese immigrants in Brazil developed the first Arabic newspaper in the region, known as Al-Fayha.

When the Palestinains arrived in Chile, they developed a football club, known as the Palestino, which still continues to participate in playing the sport of football.

They often converted to Catholicism, as that was the major religion in the region.

They also faced stereotyping from the Latin American community on their race and culture. Racially, Arabs were not considered to be European initially, resulting in rising questions on where they fit in society They were stereotyped by the larger community as cannibals because of their cuisine consisting of raw kibbeh, which is a Lebanese steak dish.

Some cultural changes that Arab immigrants incorporated when arriving to Latin America was their surname. Similar to immigrants anglicizing their surnames when arriving to the U.S., several Arab migrants latinized their surname For instance, the Arabic word for war is ‘Harb’, and people switched their surname to ‘Guerra’, which is war in Spanish.

Historically, Arabic culture has been influential in the development of the Spanish language. When the Moors arrived in Spain in 711, they transformed Spanish society academically and culturally. Several words in Spanish hold Arabic origins, such as Azúcar = sugar and Aceite = oil. Arab immigrants faced less hurdles when it came to assimilating into Hispanic culture because many of them were already coming from Christian backgrounds.

Arabs were known for introducing the credit line system, which propelled the modern commercial finance movement. Typically, Middle Eastern communities tended to cluster around an urban area, creating an ethnic enclave. In Brazil, central Rua de 25 Março is one of the neighborhoods where the Arab population was concentrated in Rio. In Ecuador, Arab migrants lived in San Pedro Sula. A second wave of Middle Eastern migrants occurred shortly after World War II due to the rising tension in the Middle Eastern region in response to the creation of Israel, which eventually led to a series of civil wars in the region. Many of these migrants moved to Argentina, Chile, Brazil, and Paraguay.

Today, there are between 14 to 30 million individuals who have Arab ancestry or of Arab descent in South America. Brazil holds the largest number of people with Arab descent, which consists of nearly 9 million inhabitants in the country. Chile has the largest Palestinian population outside of the Middle East.

Many of them have held leadership positions in government, such as the presidency. Carlos Menem, Abdala Bucaram, and Nayib Bukele are examples of Arab descent Hispanic leaders leading their respective countries in the past and present.

Arab Latinos have also made a presence in the entertainment industry, such as musician Shakira and actress Salma Hayek, both who have Lebanese ancestry.

*Sources

Image from:

https://www google com/url?q=https://sole digital/the-arabdiaspora%23: :text%3DToday%252C%2520estimates%2520put%2520th e%2520Arab,of%2520Lebanese%2520or%2520Syrian%2520descent&sa =D&source=docs&ust=1676494369099789&usg=AOvVaw0MC6RQawJw D-scg45 qwnU

*https://www oxfordbibliographies com/display/document/obo9780199766581/obo-9780199766581-0193 xml

*https://www.iemed.org/publication/the-arab-world-and-latinamericalong-standing-migration-an-expanding-south-southpartnership/

*https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/menasource/viva-losarabes-underreported-stories-of-the-arabs-of-the-americas/

*https://www arabnews com/node/2076336/middle-east

*https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/arabs-latin-america/

A PERSONAL INTERVIEW

PERSIAN PERSIAN PERSIAN

WRITTEN BY: SANJITH PRABHU

FEATURING LILY EKHTERA

THE PERSPECTIVE OF A FIRST GENERATION IRANIANAMERICAN

Sanjith Prabhu:

As Culture Talk is recognizing the accomplishments and culture of Middle Eastern people, I wanted to learn about how Middle Eastern roots impact the daily life of someone in our generation. To do this, I interviewed a high school junior who has experienced life as a Persian person in America.

Sanjith: [1. What is your name and what ethnicity are you? ]

Lily: My name is Lily Ekhtera and I am Persian. My last name means “to invent” in our language, Farsi (also called Persian). The name Ekhtera was given from the royal Iranian family to one of my father’s ancestors.

Lily: My mom also descends from the royal Jordanian family.

Sanjith: [2. What are your favorite parts of your culture?]

Lily: My favorite part of my culture is the fact that we value being civil and kind. Whenever we go out, people always

insist by saying, “I’ll pay for the check”, “No, I’ll pay for the check”, and so on so forth. It always takes them an hour to say goodbye to each other and they don’t stop talking about extended family and life as a whole.

Sanjith: Everyone is really connected on an emotional and a family-like level.

Lily: Yeah, have you ever heard of the phrase an Irish goodbye?

Sanjith: No I have not.

Lily: It’s basically like the same thing as what happens in my culture, like a long, seemingly never ending goodbye.

Sanjith: [3. What would you say, other than your culture, what’s your favorite part of being Middle Eastern? ]

Lily: I love how prideful we are, especially for us Persian people, it’s a Persian pride you know, we go around and connect by eating fruit together, persimmons especially. I also just love how we can bond so quickly over anything. People bond over their children, their silverware from Iran, and their spices. For example, I have a special kind of saffron and other kinds.

Sanjith: That’s great how you can bond over everything, your connections are really meaningful.

. Lily: Yeah they are, it’s really special to me.

Sanjith: [4. Can you speak Farsi? ]

Lily: Yeah fluently, I can read and write. I learned in Chicago Persian School and in fact, I was a a teaching assistant there.

Sanjith: Great! I honestly feel like not enough people are taking the time and effort to learn their language these days, I’m happy that you do.

Lily: I feel like it’s necessary to connect with family and connect with your culture. You’ll probably relate to this Sanjith, but you know how everyone would struggle to pronounce your name?

Sanjith: Yes!

Lily: For my last name Ekhtera, the "H" throws everyone off you know, and I would say, “well I’m Persian”. My cousins actually took the "H" out of their last name to make it easy, but it’s a hard "H" in Persian so it’s “Ekhtera” (emphasis on hat "H"). People struggle with pronouncing and spelling it which is rough.

Sanjith: [5. What are some activities you do as a family or as an individual to connect with your culture? ]

Lily: There’s actually a holiday coming up that my family and friends celebrate where we jump over fire and chant in Persian.

Charshanbeh Suri celebration (Source: Visit Our Iran)

Sanjith: Wow that sounds exciting, what’s it called?

Lily: It’s called Charshanbeh Suri, I can’t spell it (laughs). And the reason we jump over fire and chant poetry is we’re warding away bad spirits and negative energy. We celebrate it on the last Wednesday of the ancient Persian Solar calendar in the holiday Nowruz.

Sanjith: Is Charshanbeh Suri your favorite holiday?

Lily: Well, Charshanbeh Suri is a festivity for Nowruz, which is the new year. It was March 13th last year, I believe. The greatest thing about Nowruz, in my opinion, is setting up a Haftsin, which is a table assorted with symbolic objects that start with “S” in Farsi. But I think my favorite is the holiday called Shab-e Yalda, where we stay up all night. Traditionally, Persian people would have their feet by a heater or under a rug and talk about ancient poetry and eat fruit as a group. In my experience, I go to the Chicago Persian School and we would have a banquet party with a DJ and catering and we would stay up all night.

We haven’t done it in the past few years, but I have a lot of great memories doing that for both the Spring New Year (Nowruz) and the Winter Solstice (Shab-e Yalda). Shab-e Yalda is celebrated to cherish our loved ones, as the longest year of the night gives light to another year. It represents the triumph of good over evil.

Sanjith: That sounds very special!

Lily: Yeah, I’m glad I get to be a part of the culture that celebrates these great holidays. Another holiday that’s coming up is Sizdah Be-dar, which is also known as Nature’s Day. It’s on April 2nd this year and it celebrates the end of Nowruz and is used to cleanse and relax for the New Year.

Sanjith: Have you visited Iran?

Lily: Yeah, multiple times actually. One memorable part is when I went to the masjid (mosque in Farsi) in Mashhad, the most religious city in Iran. I covered myself in a black tunic from head to toe. I would go in with my aunt and my mom and see the mosque. It’s so beautiful! The light is glimmering on the turquoise walls. There’s holy water in the beautiful fountain.

Sanjith: That was very descriptive, it seems magnificent!

Lily: Yeah it really is. I’ll see if I have a picture of it.

Sanjith: That had to be your favorite part of visiting there, right?

Lily: There’s so much Sanjith, I can’t even fit it in here! There’s trucks going around selling fruit, it’s fantastic!

Sanjith: In India, there are carts that come every morning selling fresh green coconut, so I can relate with that.

Sanjith: [6. Do you have a lot of family in Iran?]

Lily: My dad’s side’s direct family all live here in America, and for my mom’s side, it’s even more interesting. I have aunts and uncles in Germany, and one of my cousins actually lives in Turkey with her Turkish husband. I was actually the maid of honor and I was in 6th grade.

After this part of the interview, Lily showed me many beautiful personal and family photos, including photos of her cousin’s wedding in Istanbul. I was able to, as a spectator of her culture, understand how loving and familyoriented that Persian people are. She also said that one characteristic that she wishes everyone can take from her culture is the loving and peaceful energy Persian people have. I then asked her about a particular instance where she was stereotyped because of her ethnicity. In response, she talked about times where she was racially discriminated against. However, she wanted to share and conclude with this powerful statement:

“Try to walk a mile in our shoes, the children of immigrant families. Try to understand the hardships our parents faced to get us to this point. From the love they give us with chopped fruit on a plate (for apologies) to comforting us with tea when we are sick, immigrant families have the strongestbonds.”

Imam-Reza Holy Shrine, the aforementioned masjid (Source: Tehran Times) 12.

Women's Rights in the Middle East

Women’s rights in the Middle East is a topic that is often overlooked. There are intricacies to the legal system that have prevented women from gaining rights for themselves for many centuries. Even in current times, the system is vastly different from the westernized view of women's/ equality and rights. However, in the last century, their voices have slowly been brought to the surface through access to higher education and presence in the political, legal and social landscapes. In this article, I will be breaking down the history of women’s rights in these spheres.

LAW, POLITICS, AND MORE

Feminist organizations in Middle Eastern countries are present but they do lack significant input into the larger political system. This is a large reason as to why the status of women and their rights have been put on hold. It is important to note that there is also a distinction between educated versus uneducated women, because some

Ananyaa Mahajan Malala

women were not able to access education, particularly those in nomadic or rural communities, may not understand their legal rights or enjoy independence.

While it took a long time for women in the Middle East to have their voices heard, they slowly began to advocate their rights through organized groups. Some present day organized groups are the Center for Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance (CEWLA foundation), the Organization of Women’s Freedom in Iraq (OWFI) and KAFA to name a few. CEWLA is an organization that provides legal support to Egyptian women and gives women the tools to live their lives and overcome their problems. OWFI is an organization that prioritizes protecting women’s rights and focuses on fighting for equality and taking action on human and female trafficking. They also provide safe houses for women who are survivors of violence in Iraq.

KAFA Enough Violence & Exploitation is a Lebanese NGO that focuses on promoting women's rights and gender equality. The links to these three organizations are down below and for you readers, there are places to donate and help out. It is also important to note that the gender politics in the Middle East vastly contrasts from Western countries’ gender politics.

Middle Eastern women are more disadvantaged in the realm of inheritance in comparison to their male counterparts. The first time women were able to vote in elections was in 1917 in the Crimean People’s Republic and the most recent is women in Saudi Arabia who are able to vote in elections since 2015. There is also some present progress as the first Arab woman head of state is Najla Bouden, who was democratically elected prime minister of Tunisia in 2021.

SOCIETY AND CULTURE

Culture and traditions play a large role in the progression of women’s rights. There are many Middle Eastern countries that have made large attempts to modernize their politics and bring equality to their society. However, one country that has had a difficult transition/ controversy among the people is Saudi Arabia. In Saudi Arabia, women suffer hardships in their lives because of certain Islamic laws. A large example of this is public humiliation when enacting resistance. Women from Saudi Arabia are required to be veiled anytime they appear in public, and are forbidden to drive anywhere in the Kingdom.

increase their social status and to increase their opportunities. Education for females increased after 1977 after emancipation from foreign domination. It is important to note that there has been progress and a great example is that according to a UNESCO report, 34-57% of STEM graduates in Arab countries are women. This statistic also shows that Arab countries actually have more STEM graduates than the United States or Europe.

There is a difference between the way the women’s rights movements have been tackled from the past versus now. In the past, the movements came with tough adversities while today's movements have kickstarted a push for individual rights and equalities while today’s provides new innovative methods to create equality for individuals in society. Today’s movements focus on gender-based discrimination and how to move men and women to be on an equal playing field rather than one is on top of the other.

FINAL REMARKS

Overall, there has been progress over the decades for women in the Middle East to gain more rights. As with all movements, it

takes time to affect change into society and while there are ways to go, it is important to always mark progress and celebrate achievements that had hard work put in behind them. Middle Eastern women have worked tirelessly and relentlessly to share their views with their society, continuing to do so in the future.

*References:

*https://www.chathamhouse.org/2021/05/wom en-and-power-in-the-middle-east

*https://www culturalsurvival org/publications/c ultural-survival-quarterly/law-and-womenmiddle-east

*https://www globalpolicyjournal com/blog/03/ 10/2017/women%E2%80%99s-rights-middle-eastand-north-africa

https://advocacyassembly.org/en/news/95/

Links to organizations: http://www.owfi.info/EN/ https://namati.org/network/organization/th

e-center-for-egyptian-womens-legalassistance-cewlafoundation/#:~:text=Egyptian%20Women' s%20Legal%20Foundation%20is,life%20a nd%20overcome%20their%20problems. https://kafa.org.lb/ar

A FILM A FILM

REVIEW: "THE REVIEW: "THE BREADWINNER BREADWINNER " AND " AND "PERSEPOLIS" "PERSEPOLIS"

BY MARYSSA ORTA AND MILLA NGUYEN

"PERSEPOLIS" (2007)

BY MARYSSA ORTA

Directed by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud

Persepolis tells the story of Marjane Satrapi’s childhood and coming of age during the Iranian Revolution. This true story is based on Satrapi’s comic of the same name. Marjane, as an adult in a French airport, she reflects on her time as a young child in Iran. Suddenly, the film switches from color to black and white - a choice made by Satrapi in order to show how countries and their people have similar fates and ideas. Marjane, as a young child, is a witness to her parents’ worries, the growing violence around her,

and her uncle Anoosh’s stories about being a radical and his eventual re-arrest and execution.

When Marjane is sent to Vienna by her parents, she becomes isolated as she moves from home to home until she is homeless. On the condition that her parents do not question her, she returns to Iran and attends university. However, after a series of fines for holding hands with a man, a death of a friend, and sexist ideas, she moves to France. Persepolis's character is given artistic advantages, which pertains to the fact that the author's input is the focus of the creative decisions. Satrapi’s story is dear to her and all the emotions / experiences felt incredibly moving and realistic. Do not let its black-and-white, almost bleak, look a prevent you from seeing such an amazing film.

Persepolis challenges ideas of eastern and western feminism. It critiques the Iranian government for placing strict rules on women and passing them off as protection. It also critiques western ideas that the veil is only a symbol of female oppression in the east when throughout the movie there are

there are characters who wear it willingly and those who do not.

The film also explores the complex relationship Marjane has with her Iranian identity. In Vienna, she lies about her Iranian roots, telling a boy at a party she is French instead. However, after hearing the voice of her grandmother tell her to stay true to herself, she feels shame for what she has done and stands up for herself when hearing a group of girls mock her for her lie. Marjane wants to identify as Iranian but does not want to identify with the oppressive ideas of Iran. She does not want to align herself with the oppressive ideas she is a victim of.

It’s clear that this was a story Satrapi was passionate about telling and sharing with the world. It not only tells the story of Iran but the story of Satrapi’s family and those who have died due to their beliefs, such as her uncle Anoosh. Anoosh told her the story of his life so their family could remember it forever and by bringing it to film, it was immortalized. As a beautiful, emotional, and informational film, Persepolis is worth the watch.

"THE BREADWINNER" (2017)

BY MILLA NGUYEN

Directed by Nora Twomey

The Breadwinner is a story of Parvana, an eleven year old girl who is living in Kabul under the Taliban's Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Her father is a retired soldier of a war and started an underground school to teach women how to read/ write against the Taliban rule. One of the laws established was that women were not allowed to go outside without a male relative and young women were often sold as brides during a young age. In order to feed her starving family, Parvana cuts her hair and disguises herself as a boy. She meets Shauzia, another girl who disguises herself as a boy to get by. Later on in the story, Parvana's father is caught and arrested / sent to Taliban prison where he will be tortured. Her mother begs for his release and is beaten. Then, her mother has to promise her eldest daughter's hand in marriage to a son of another family. Parvana and Shauzia are constantly threatened at the marketplace. Later in the story, Parvana takes it open herself to

try and rescue her father by meeting Razaq, a Taliban soldier that asks her to teach him how to read and write. In the end, in a deadly standoff, Parvana enters the prison and rescues her beaten father. Later, they reunite with the rest of their family.

THEME

In essence, this film follows a similar path that Disney's Mulan does. It is about finding your core identity and having resilience when times get really difficult. In essence of Parvana, she is a triumphant example of female power at a young age. She never gave up on what you believed in and the goal of saving her father (in an extremely dangerous situation). I also believe that Twomey's sense of art direction and animation allow viewers to appreciate the child-like innocence and novelty fantasy myths while intense sequences are happening. While this film isn't a complete and honest picture of what life looks life in Kabul, it does address dangerous situations that have happened/ can happen.

As addressed in other articles in this magazine issue, citing "Women's Rights in the Middle East" by Ananyaa Mahajan, it is

clear that women and men haven't had equality for a long time, It also means that female activists and organizations are pushing for change.

In terms of symbolism, I would say that Parvana's relationship with her father illustrates love and strength. Parvana's father valued education and always protected his daughters by fending soldiers off them. He also taught Parvana to stay true to herself and to be brave. I also believe Soraya, Parvana's sister is another example of the importance in choices. Soraya had no choice over who she could marry and was forced to do it to save her family. She was oppressed by society's ways and yet she tried her best with her circumstances.

INVOLVEMENT

The film was also produced by Angelina Jolie, a UN ambassador for Afghani girls' education. As a renowned actress and entrepreneur, she is able to spread awareness. Another producer, Mimi Polk Gitlin who is known for feminist films was also a part of the project.

The screenwriter- Anita Doron had commissioned Aman Mojadidi to work on the animation and art direction. The team also consulted Afghani organizations for their accuracy of the film's story.

CONCLUSION

Ultimately, this film changed my perspective on the treatment of women, citizen struggles, and cultural differences around the world. I would highly recommend anyone to watch this film. It is a story about hope, family, and perseverance through hardships.

MIDDLE EASTERN CUISINES

BY: AISHU SENTHIL

Ah, the taste of falafels, the texture of hummus!

Middle Eastern cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines around the world and is quickly gaining more recognition. However, the history of this cuisine- which dates back to ancient times- is often contested, and hence various interesting theories have been made on how this delicious selection of dishes came to be.

Middle Eastern cuisine, like all other cuisines, is influenced by the forces of history. Factors such as the Mediterranean climate, the ancient religions, and their beliefs as well as European, African, and Asian influence through the trade routes passing through the Middle East that have been used for centuries.

For instance, due to the prominence of Islam in the Middle East in the past and the importance of Haram, there are only a few non-vegetarian dishes: usually lamb, chicken, or beef would be skewed or grilled. Most of the protein in dishes came from cheeses, legumes, and yogurt. The influence of trading routes and culture of neighboring regions can also be seen in the abundance of figs, nuts, and dates from invaders, spices like cumin, turmeric, and garlic from eastern regions like India or dumplings and okra from Africa are used in the Middle Eastern dishes today.

The various countries included in the Middle East have also influenced Middle Eastern cuisine with their own cultures. For instance, Lebanese culture has influenced the extensive use of olive oil in dishes as well as the creation of Baba Ganoush, Falafel, Fattoush, Baklava, and Shwarma.

Egyptian culture has also influenced the existence of Ful Mudammas (inspired by hummus), Koshary, and Basboosa. Arabic beliefs have additionally helped create Tabouleh, Batata Harra, and Kibeh, as well as establish the importance of hospitality in Middle Eastern cuisine.

A popular example is the creation of the Falafel, which has at least three different plausible homes. The first, and most common theory of origin, is Egypt. Falafel is believed to date back about 1,000 years to the Egyptian Copts, who brought it with them from the Middle East. The Copts- who were a Christian ethnoreligious group- made a similar dish with fava beans called ta’amiya (known to first emerge in Alexandria) as a meat-free food for Lent, and Jewish pioneers took on these tasty fritters and made their own version with chickpeas, which became the falafel we know today.

The name for Fava beans in Egyptian is "ful", and it is believed that the word falafel hence comes from the ta’amiya recipe and thus supports this theory. However, this theory is opposed based on the fact that ‘falafel’ is not a Coptic word, and the vegetable oil used to fry falafels was too expensive in ancient times to be used to cook such a simple dish.

The origin of these Middle Eastern dishes, however, has been much contested by the various countries in the Middle East claiming to be the creators of these dishes.

Another theory of the falafel’s origin places the creation in more modern times, around the late 19th century. This is about the time when the dish started appearing in Egyptian literature, right after the British occupation in 1882. This theory suggests British officers enjoyed fried vegetable croquettes when they were in India and asked their Egyptian cooks to prepare a version with local ingredients, thus leading to the creation of falafels.

The falafel is also widely known to have a home in Israel since they are incredibly popular in the region. This popularity even dates back to the early 20th century, when falafels reached the Jewish communities in Palestine. Along with the indigenous population, the halutzim (Jewish immigrants) adopted it readily.

While its Arabian history would have normally raised alarm for other Israeli citizens, the halutzim gave no thought to whether it was an ‘Arab’ food or not, having long grown used to cultural exchange with their Muslim neighbors. They simply integrated it into their own cuisine, as they had countless other foods. The advantages of the dish certainly helped its appeal, since not only was it tasty and filling, but also simple, and the ingredients could either be bought cheaply or grown without difficulty. They were also convenient to eat not easily misshapen and could be served either hot or cold. This popularity in Palestine then spread to the rest of Israel, becoming a favorite. This prominence of falafels then ended up associating the dish with Israel. The history of middle eastern cuisine has many versions, and no one version can be proven without a doubt due to the lack of concrete and abundant historical evidence. However, the various theories that have

been formulated and continue to be made certainly provide an interesting backstory for every Middle Eastern dish, and hopefully more concrete historical evidence related to Middle Eastern cuisine will be excavated in the future.

*Sources:

*https://gourmandelle.com/middleeastern-cuisine/

*https://aladdinshouston.com/a-shorthistory-offalafel/#:~:text=Falafel's%20Origins&text =Some%20maintain%20that%20it%20dat es,in%20the%20late%2019th%20century.

*https://www.historytoday.com/archive/hi storians-cookbook/falafel

*https://theculturetrip.com/middleeast/israel/articles/history-of-falafel/

Mahsa Amini & Iranian women around the world

By: Milla Nguyen

On September 13, 2022, Mahsa Amini (a 22-year-old woman living in Iran) was arrested by Iran's "morality" police squadron for her way of wearing her Hijab and was beaten for the matter She passed away in prison about three days after the incident Afterwards, the death of Mahsa Amini ignited outrage and other incidents of women being taken into custody had come to the surface in global news. Female reporters and journalists had been jailed for writing opinionated pieces on government views or disagreements with certain parts of Iranian culture

Across social media internationally, activists began protesting for a call to action and change within the treatment of women. Protesters tore of their head scarfs and Hijabs, some also cut their hair while walking in solidarity. Activists such as Nina Ansary describe Amini as a symbol of speaking out against oppressive regimes and balancing the scales for equal female opportunity. In the United States, Mahsa Amini was listed in Forbes Magazine as one of the most influential women of the year It was revealed later that Amini came from a Kurdish background, a small community of culture within Iran. Activists remind social media users that Amini was never a social rights activist and never intended to start an uprising, yet others felt a strong need to keep her spirit and cause alive.

After the protests continued, the United Nations opened an investigation on Iranian police forces to analyze human rights violations. Due to lack of communication and resources,

not all incidents have recorded Though, it is known by communities that women have disappeared or have been harassed for many years. In the winter season of that year, reports claim that the "morality" police had been disbanded from public outrage but activists warn that this is not the end. At the same time, Iran has been struggling with an unstable handle on their government and worsening tensions with terrorist organizations. Even with global powers such as the United States and Europe involved, the world begins to change with more risks of war, attacks, and political unrest.

In the Forbes article, "Mahsa Amini: The Spark that Ignited an Iranian Revolution", Maggie McGrath quotes activist, Alinejad, "A woman warned her daughter from joining the protests in fear that she would be killed. Her daughter replies with, 'I can’t choose what I wear. I don’t have the right to dance in public By law, I’m not allowed to be myself I’m already dead'" (Forbes 1).

As I write this article with guilt and a sharp pain in my chest, I realize as an Asian-American who is fortunate to live in the United States that it is much easier to complain with privilege than it is to take a look on the other side of the world. As a 21-year-old, I begin to realize how young these women are and what they have to face every time they go outside just to get a breath of fresh air By no means am I writing with false pity, but stories like these teach young people all over the world that we must be grateful for what we have. By comparison, the United States grants their citizens to have the freedom of what they wear, what they say, and how they do things. In other Middle Eastern or European/ Asian countries with stricter governments, it is much harder to get around these laws without consequences

Ultimately, there will be an unfortunate incline of incidents like these if the conversation isn't started. Still, I think there is great power in unity and in movements with the accessibility of journalism as well as social media coverage. Younger generations are starting to become more aware about global issues, important ones that will change the course of the future.

*Sources

*https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/01/22/women-rights-iran-protests-00069245

*https://ottawacitizen com/news/local-news/mahsa-amini-street-city-to-consider-tribute-outside-vacantiranian-embassy

*https://www forbes com/sites/maggiemcgrath/2022/12/06/mahsa-amini-the-spark-that-ignited-a-women-ledrevolution/

*https://www cnn com/2022/10/26/middleeast/iran-clashes-mahsa-amini-grave-intl/index html

Images from (no credit claimed):

*https://allarab news/iranian-women-cut-their-hair-burn-hijabs-in-protest-call-on-the-west-to-show-support/

*https://www hindustantimes com/world-news/iran-protests-following-mahsa-amini-s-death-intensify-5points-101663756919472.html

MIDDLE EASTERN HARMONY: A GALLERY

NadyaEz

Nadya Ez is a self-made painter and illustrator based in Montreal, Canada. She has started drawing since she was a child and was encouraged by her parents as it became a form of therapy for her. It helps her to express her admiration for women and Moroccan/ Amazigh beauty It is also a way for her to share her identity with the world which is a background of Moroccan, Amazigh, Arabe, and African cultures. Nadya's work is the embodiment of Middle Eastern women and the vibrant colors that accent them The Middle East is home to a large range of traditions, cuisines, and cities of historical landmarks. With Nadya's work, she connects closely with her online community of 53.3K followers on Instagram She is also the founder of @moorishcreations which is a local brand centered around Moroccan fashion. The brand vision was focused in making comfortable, chic, and trendy clothing for any customer. The clothes are extremely vibrant in color, detailed with embroidery, and represent Moroccan elements. On Nadya's page, you can find a range of artworks and all sorts of illustrations that are available for purchase on Etsy/ her brand page linked down below

Contact/ Follow:

Instagram : @nadya.ez

@moorishcreations

Etsy:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/NadyaEzIllustrations

https://www.instagram.com/nadya.ez/

Middle Eastern Harmony : A Gallery

1 2 3 4

Nadya Ez (@nadya.ez)

DaliaNegm(@artist dalia.negm)

Hawra(sumerianartt)(@sumerianartt) Arash Salkouyeh (@arash salko)

5 Reina (@reinil)

6 Hussein Yassein (@husseinyasseinart)

NadyaEz

Nadya Ez is a self-made painter, illustrator, and designer based in Montreal, Canada. It helps her to express her admiration for women and Moroccan/ Amazigh beauty. It is also a way for her to share her identity with the world which is a background of Moroccan, Amazigh, Arabe, and African cultures.

Dalia Negm

DaliaNegmisateachingassistantat MansouraUniversity(Egypt)andholdsa master'sdegreeinFineArts.Shehas participatedinavarietyofart competitionssuchasthe"Nakha Pharaonia"(ancientEgyptian)atDai GalleryofMohandessin,the"After Corona"FestivalattheArabAtelierfor CultureandArtsGallery,andmore. @artist_dalia.negm

@Sumerianartt

Hawra is a 22 year old Iraqi-American woman and artist. She has always had a passion for art since she was a child. She has spent time living in the Middle East (UAE, Oman, and Kuwait) where she joined many art contests showcasing her artwork.

THE STORY

Arash Salkouyeh is an Iranian photographer and content creator with a passion for capturing real life moments that evoke emotion and tell stories Arash was born and raised in Langroud , a small city in the north of Iran He has a bachelors degree in civil engineering but he was drawn to the art of photography around his 20s He taught himself the basics of the craft and honed his skills through experimentation and practice Being a photographer in Iran is not easy and most of the photographers are under intense pressure from the government to not show reality After 20 years of photography, he had to leave Iran, landing in Canada as his life was in danger if he stayed there Most of his interest in photography is story telling about ordinary people and their life

Instagram (photography) :

@arash salko

Instagram (videography) : @velvet artstudio

https://www instagram com/a

rash salko/

https://www instagram com/v

elvet artstudio/

Arash Salkouyeh

@reinil

Reina is a psychotherapist working in the middle east. she is interested in how culture traditions have benefited mental health. she carries her camera everywhere as it has opened new doors to explore her host country, oman.

Reina Photography

@husseinyasseinart

Hussein lives and works in Cairo, Egypt. He is a contemporary artist who has participated in many exhibitions Youth Saloon, Luxor International Painting Symposium, and more. He has collaborated and produced artworks for many years.

Hussein Yassein

Hussein Yassein

Hussein Yassein

Hussein Yassein

Hussein Yassein

Hussein Yassein

Hussein Yassein

Hussein Yassein

Hussein Yassein

EDITORS:

MILLA NGUYEN

ANUSHA NATARAJAN

CREATIVE DIRECTION:

MILLA NGUYEN

ANUSHA NATRAJAN

PAGE LAYOUTS DESIGNED

BY: MILLA NGUYEN

WRITERS:

ANANYAA MAHAJAN

ANUSHA NATARAJAN

AISHU SENTHIL

MILLA NGUYEN

MARYSSA ORTA

SANJITH PRABHU

COVER / GALLERY ARTISTS

HAWRA (SUMERIANARTT)

NADYA EZ

DALIA NEGM

ARASH SALKOUYEH

REINA

HUSSEIN YASSEIN

MIDDLE EASTERN CULTURE THANK YOU.

BY: MILLA NGUYEN

Issue 10: Middle Eastern Culture marks the first issue of 2023. Considering that the year of 2022-2023 were big years for the Middle Eastern community, the Culture Talk team wanted to spotlight the traditions, the current events, and global impact of said community By definition, the Middle East defines the regions that are near the Mediterranean sea and the Arabian Peninsula This also includes regions of Iran, Africa, and United Arab Emirates The countries that are bordered in this region include but are not limited to: Pakistan, Syria, Afghanistan, Egypt, Syria, Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar This meant that the community served as an umbrella for many cultures, religions, and identities Ranging from cuisines, languages, and social movements that ignited the whole world, there is much to be learned about the Middle East. These regions are not always talked about in classrooms or textbooks and therefore, this creates misconceptions about the lifestyles of those who actually live there. Even so, social rights activists are turning to social media and visual media to educate those about these cultures. Many people continue the conversation of women's rights in the Middle East due to political tensions and global conflicts. At the same time, the Middle East is home to a variety of landmarks: from the Giza pyramids of Egypt to Nasir-ol-molk Mosque in Iran, this issue is only a peak at some of these wonders of the world The gallery in this issue features a number of artists at all different ages and backgrounds But, one thing is common: each artist has used their creative voice to tell their audiences authentic messages by educating people about their home country The importance of heritage remains true no matter what hardships anyone might face As we close out issue 10, on behalf of the Culture Talk editorial team/ writers, I would like to thank everyone who has read our magazine so far We would also like to extend our gratitude to the writers that have consistently written for each issue, we would not be here without you! While Culture Talk has been active for about a little over two years, almost three, we are so in awe of how far we have come. Even though we know that times are changing and there is plenty more to write about, it is just as essential to look back on the things we are grateful to have. That is a final wrap on Issue 10: Middle Eastern Culture, presented by Culture Talk