Cultural Practices That Are Influenced by History of the Arab Culture - Essay Example

Arab males usually wear a long-sleeved piece white dress that covers the entire body except for the face. Moreover, they also wear a scarf-like head cover tied with a black band. Arab females also cover their entire bodies with long dresses. Geography plays a vital role in forcing the Arabs to opt for long dresses which cover the entire body. It should be noted that the Middle East is perhaps the hottest region on this earth. Because of the proximity of deserts, the atmospheric temperature in most Middle Eastern countries is in the range of 35 to 45 degree Celsius during the majority of the months in a year. To escape from extreme heat, Arabs use long white clothes and head covers. White color can reflect heat whereas black color can absorb heat. That is why Arabs are mostly interested in white dresses.

Arabs normally like non-vegetarian foods because of their geographical peculiarities. Fishing is a traditional revenue source for Arabs because most of the Arab countries are located near the seashores. It is difficult for the Arabs to grow vegetables in the open air because of the extreme heat and humid conditions. So, historically, they included items like fish, meat, egg, etc in their dishes. Vegetarian foods are expensive in the Arab world compared to non-vegetarian foods. In short, geography has influenced Arab food habits very much.

“Black tea is the most common drink in the Arab world, usually the Lipton brand name. You can also find a delicious tea made from hibiscus flowers - yogurt. This tea has a light yellow color and a delicate, flowery flavor” (Syrian Drinks: Repast in a Teacup). Sulaimani (Black tea) is the major drink among Arab people. Because of the hot and humid conditions and the non-availability of foods like grass, herbs, etc, it is difficult for the Arabs to look after domestic animals such as cows and goats. So they practiced black tea over a long period. Even though oil has changed the economy of the Middle East, still the majority of Arabs are following the tradition of having black tea at regular intervals of time. Even the wealthiest Arabs are using black tea as one of the items in their get-together parties or celebrations.

To conclude, geography played a vital role in shaping Arab culture. The influence of geography can be seen in the clothing, food, and drink habitus of Arab people. Read More