For the first country in the Middle East this round of countries we did Iraq. As you may have probably heard it on the news a lot in recent years during the numerous ISIS
attacks on the country but the country and culture is very awesome.

Iraq has one of the world’s most ancient civilizations, including the home to Babylon  and a history dating back 5,000 years. It was ruled by Caliphates for hundred of years, then was under the Ottoman Empire,  then under British rule before finally becoming independent in 1930.  Having lots of oil, dates, and desert Iraq might look like any other Middle Eastern country, but on the inside it is very different because a Persian influence.

We picked Iraq over the other remaining I’s – Iran and India – because Iran had even more history to research and we already know a lot about India (Papa’s home country).

To see all the information on Iraq click here: Iraq Slides

Here are some interesting facts about Iraq

• Iraq is one of the five Muslim-majority countries that has a Shi’a majority population, not a Sunni, like the 45 other Muslim majority countries
• Even though it may not seem like it, Iraq has a tiny coastline on the Persian gulf
• The lowest recorded temperature in this desert country is 12 Fahrenheit, the highest however is 123 Fahrenheit
• A rare wind phenomenon can bring ice to the Iraqi desert
• Lions used to be in Iraq but now they are extinct

– By Isaac

FOOD

The food of Iraq is Middle Eastern but not what you think of Middle Eastern when you imagine a meal. Iraqi food does have lamb, and lots of dates at all the spices like cardamom and coriander but it also has fish. Fish was one of the main meats that the ancient Mesopotamians used to eat because they would catch fish in the rivers. The food is a mixture of Persian with the saffron and kebabs but also Arabic with other spices and the lamb. So let’s eat all this delicious food.

Breakfast

Bagila bil Dihin Recipe – This is lemon soaked fava beans served over pita and a poached egg on top. It was delicious and I would definitely eat this again. We learned that fava beans and broad beans are the same thing.

Dinner

Recipe for Iraqi Biryani – Biryani is rice with pretty much anything in it. This is delicious and as we also had the fish, we didn’t add the meatballs.

Masgouf Recipe– Masgouf is an Iraqi whole fish, we used rockfish served with a numeric and tamarind coating and a tomato filling. It was good but the bones were a bit of a problem, and we ended up putting part of the fish in to cook longer.

Baba Ghanouj – Basically eggplant mushed up with some spices, we used a cookbook recipe, but you can pretty much find any recipe, serve it with Pita

Iraqi Tabouleh Recipe – Instead of the traditional Lebanese one, this one uses about equal   parts bulgur and parsley and is served with Artichokes on top. So yummy!

– By Isaac

Culture

We decided to look at the ancient tradition of Iraq Maqam music. It has a long history going back about 1500 years and is very specific vocal and instrumental style. The Maqam is more popular in urban areas and can be sung as a religious call to prayer or as entertainment. You can learn more about it here: Iraq Maqam

It starts our with a slow beat and then two different melodies (there are 100 to choose from) and then eventually peaks and comes back down in a different style.  There are all sorts of names for these parts like quita, aswhal, tahir. As for the lyrics, most are closely tied to poetry and and several follow  the Zuheiri style, which has a pattern of AAA BBB A, and usually ends with homonyms.

So  we listened to some Maqam Music and then we tried writing some Zuheiri poetry lyrics. Here is what Andrew came up with:

Why do I need the right.

To begin to write.

What I feel is right.

But then I will be banned

from the band

with a rubber band.

This is not right.

Try some of your own writing as well!

….And we hope to get back to you in less than a month with our next trip to a completely different culture in the Caribbean.

– By Laura/Mama