Once again, a quick entry (which like others of its kind will perhaps end up otherwise)--I should be trying to get some work done for the Fulbright or else sleeping, as tomorrow will head into the desert with Uncle Bob and Aunt Myriam.
And apparently I will be driving--wish me luck. We are supposed to be back on December 28th I think, but if i haven't been back on the blog to loads pictures by then, blame it on my driving. We'le probably be somewhere in Sudan by then, on our way to Darfur, insha'allah. Or we would if I had anything to say about it.
No, don't worry. I have to get back in time to see my parents and brother and go skiing in Canada. :)
Wanted to post photos of qat though, while the blisters are still fresh in my mouth.
Photo 1: This was taken outside of Sana'a when I went to the villages of Shibam, Thula and Kawkaban (from the entry of me with the falcon). Qat is cultivated everywhere, a problem because it is difficult to export. Not just because it is illegal in some places, but has to be really fresh. Yemen's second largest crop is grapes, which is like exporting water. Anyway, for better or for worse, qat is grown everywhere.
Photo 2: My last night in Sana'a I had qat again. Having it the first night was awesome, not just the experience but to understand a key part of Sana'a. But it had let blisters in my mouth and so had declined when offered again. But on the last night asked one of the guys at the YCMES to take me to buy some. These guys are in one of the qat merchants' stalls in the old city. We got bags for 400 Yemeni Rial, not bad. nd the qat turned out to be quite good: juicy stems, soft leaves, very little that had to be thrown away.
Photo 3: My first time chewing i couldn't manage to chew much--but here you can see I worked up a fairly good-sized wad. But I still can't sit with it for hours like some people. And most Yemeni guys, (and foreginers who have been in Yemen for a bit), look like they have baseballs in their cheeks. The first time I saw someone chewing qat i thought that they had cancer. It is kind of funny; usually people would be self -conscious, or at least elsewhere having a cheek bulging inches away from one's face would draw attention. But here it is completely normal.
Photo 4: This is qat in the little bag it is sold in. And the hands of my friend, a helper at the Merkez, and my hands with henna. The henna was done for me by a young woman in whose home i was invited to lunch. I had met her sister a few days earlier at the human rights group HOOD, and when another friend found out that I might not get in henna done in time for Eid, (celebrating the end of Hajj and Abraham's near-sacrifice of Isaac/Ishmael), she brought me to this house. She would not accept any money for it.
You can also see in the photo the bottle of Fifa, an intensely sweet apple soda that tastes delicious with qat. You usually drink water or something sweet with qat, because it helps you swallow more of the juice.
Merry Christmas and Happy Eid to everyone!
2 comments:
Very interesting Annelle! Good to hear about your adventures. I've vaguely heard about qat in the past, so I don't know much about it. Is it a drug or more like chewing tabacco? What is it's affect on you (other than blisters)?
Take care and I look forward to reconnecting when you get home
Apparently, qat is a "mild stimulant". I noticed the first ime I chewed it that my heart seemd to be racing a bit. Actually, I hardly noticed anything. But, perhaps like alcohol and ...other things, the effect lies in a group of people taking it together. A qat chew, although it can begin with lively discussion, (and apparently is one of the best ways to hear political criticism or other juicy tidbits), usually end with everyone chewing in easy silence. Coming upon people at the middle or end of their chew, you can't expect too much of them. Qat supposedly not only occupies much of the arable land and usable ground water in Yemen, but also significantly decreases productivity. Young women that I spoke to also said that they did not want to marry a qat chewer, though 1. this will be tough to find and 2. many women also chew qat. I kind of liked it; again, like the camraderie of a big festive meal but without feeling full or having dirty dishes. But I do see how it could be and probably is a major problem.
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