EgyptiAN CULTURE
The culture of Egypt has thousands of years of recorded history. Ancient Egypt was among the earliest civilizations. For millennia, Egypt maintained a strikingly unique, complex and stable culture that influenced later cultures of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. After the Pharaonic era, Egypt itself came under the influence of Hellenism, for a time Christianity and later, Islamic culture.The culture of Egypt has thousands of years of recorded history. Ancient Egypt was among the earliest civilizations. For millennia, Egypt maintained a strikingly unique, complex and stable culture that influenced later cultures of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. After the Pharaonic era, Egypt itself came under the influence of Hellenism, for a time Christianity and later, Islamic culture.
EGYPTIAN cuisine
Aish - Aish is the Egyptian traditional pocket bread similar to pita bread. It is made by mixing wheat flour, water and salt then baked.
Aish baladi - same as above but it uses whole wheat bread.
Ghanoush - Made from grilled eggplant that is peeled then mashed and mixed with tahini (see below), lemon juice, salt, pepper, parsley, cumin and dressed with olive oil. This dip has a smoky flavor and is best served with pita bread.
Basbousa - A sweet semolina cake which is soaked in a syrup that has a floral scent (made from rose water and sometimes lemon and honey).
Beide Hamine - Almost like hard-boiled eggs though smoother and creamier due to them slowly simmering for 6-8 hours.
Bram rice - Rice made with milk which is stuffed with chicken liver.
Falafel - (or ta'amiya) is a well-known dish in the Middle East thought to have originated in Egypt. It consists of balls of fava beans (broad beans) or chickpeas that have been deep fried.
Fatta - a garlic and white vinegar flavored meat soup served with rice. Traditionally a Nubian dish, Fatta is usually prepared on special occasions such as weddings, a woman's first pregnancy (baby shower) and as the main meal during the Eid al-Adha religious festival.
Feseekh - fermented, salted and dried gray mullet fish. It is normally eaten during the spring celebration of Sham el-Nessim.
Aish baladi - same as above but it uses whole wheat bread.
Ghanoush - Made from grilled eggplant that is peeled then mashed and mixed with tahini (see below), lemon juice, salt, pepper, parsley, cumin and dressed with olive oil. This dip has a smoky flavor and is best served with pita bread.
Basbousa - A sweet semolina cake which is soaked in a syrup that has a floral scent (made from rose water and sometimes lemon and honey).
Beide Hamine - Almost like hard-boiled eggs though smoother and creamier due to them slowly simmering for 6-8 hours.
Bram rice - Rice made with milk which is stuffed with chicken liver.
Falafel - (or ta'amiya) is a well-known dish in the Middle East thought to have originated in Egypt. It consists of balls of fava beans (broad beans) or chickpeas that have been deep fried.
Fatta - a garlic and white vinegar flavored meat soup served with rice. Traditionally a Nubian dish, Fatta is usually prepared on special occasions such as weddings, a woman's first pregnancy (baby shower) and as the main meal during the Eid al-Adha religious festival.
Feseekh - fermented, salted and dried gray mullet fish. It is normally eaten during the spring celebration of Sham el-Nessim.
Religion in egypt
Egypt is predominantly Muslim, with Muslims accounting for 88% of a population of around 80 million Egyptians The vast majority of Muslims in Egypt are Sunni. A significant number of Sunni Muslim Egyptians also follow native Sufi orders. There are under fifty thousand Ahmadi Muslims. There is a minority of Mu'tazila, ShiaTwelvers and Ismailism numbering a few thousands. The remainder of Egyptians, numbering between 10% and 20% of the population, mostly belong to the native Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, an Oriental Orthodox Christian Church. The most recent declarations, made by Pope Shenouda III and bishop Morkos of Shubra in 2008, put forward the number of Orthodox Copts in Egypt as being over 12 million. Other estimates made by church officials estimate this number to be 16 million. Protestant churches claim a membership of about 300,000 Egyptians, and the Coptic Catholic Church is estimated to have a similar membership among Egyptians. Based on these estimates, the total number of Christians in Egypt is between 15% and 20% of a total population of 80 million Egyptians. While some government sources have claimed a percentage of around 6 to 10%, a number of published sources such as the Washington Institute, in addition to some of the Coptic sources, uphold that Christians represent more than 10% of the total population and claim that they actually still compose up to 15 or even 20% of the Egyptian population.
There are a number of languages spoken in Egypt, but Egyptian Arabic is by far the most widely spoken in the country. Arabic was adopted by the Egyptians after the Arab invasion of Egypt. Arabic came to Egypt in the 7th century, and Egyptian Arabic has become the modern spoken language of the Egyptians and is understood by almost all Egyptians. In southern Egypt, Saidi Arabic is the main spoken language for most non-urbanized people. Of the many varieties of Arabic, Egyptian Arabic is the most widely understood first dialect in the Middle East-North Africa, probably due to the influence of Egyptian cinema throughout the Arabic-speaking world.
A Bedouin Arab minority speaks a variety of Bedouin Arabic mostly in the Sinai Peninsula. Sudanese Arabic is also spoken by the Sudanese minority.
A Bedouin Arab minority speaks a variety of Bedouin Arabic mostly in the Sinai Peninsula. Sudanese Arabic is also spoken by the Sudanese minority.
clothing in egypt
The dress code in Egypt is not as strict as it is in many Muslim countries. In smaller towns, most people wear clothing that falls past their knees and elbows, and women often cover their hair. In large cities like Cairo, people dress more like their counterparts in the United States or Europe. Since Egypt is a very hot place and is mostly desert, people tend to wear light, cotton clothing.
Women Clothing:Most Egyptian women keep their shoulders, chest, stomach, and knees covered at all times. In smaller towns, many women wear traditional long, loose-fitting gowns and cover their hair. When women approach a mosque or religious site, they must cover any bare skin and remove their shoes before entering. Many women who visit Egypt feel most comfortable dressing conservatively in long, loose-fitting skirts and shirts with sleeves that fall past their elbows.
Mens Clothing:Most men in Egypt wear loose-fitting trousers and shirts. T-shirts and polo shirts are generally acceptable. Wearing shorts that fall below the knee is acceptable in most modern cities. Shorts are not acceptable in mosques or religious sites. Some Egyptian men wear long robes that cover their bodies, but many do not.
Childs Clothing:Girls wear clothing similar to adult women's clothing. Many little girls wear long cotton skirts and shirts that cover their elbows. Boys usually wear long, loose-fitting trousers and shirts much like adult men. If you are visiting Egypt with a child with blond hair, you may feel more comfortable covering his hair. Egyptians like to touch blond hair, and it's considered acceptable to do so.
Women Clothing:Most Egyptian women keep their shoulders, chest, stomach, and knees covered at all times. In smaller towns, many women wear traditional long, loose-fitting gowns and cover their hair. When women approach a mosque or religious site, they must cover any bare skin and remove their shoes before entering. Many women who visit Egypt feel most comfortable dressing conservatively in long, loose-fitting skirts and shirts with sleeves that fall past their elbows.
Mens Clothing:Most men in Egypt wear loose-fitting trousers and shirts. T-shirts and polo shirts are generally acceptable. Wearing shorts that fall below the knee is acceptable in most modern cities. Shorts are not acceptable in mosques or religious sites. Some Egyptian men wear long robes that cover their bodies, but many do not.
Childs Clothing:Girls wear clothing similar to adult women's clothing. Many little girls wear long cotton skirts and shirts that cover their elbows. Boys usually wear long, loose-fitting trousers and shirts much like adult men. If you are visiting Egypt with a child with blond hair, you may feel more comfortable covering his hair. Egyptians like to touch blond hair, and it's considered acceptable to do so.