UAE | Heritage and Culture
Family time and Tunisian traditions keep them buzzing
The Ramadan tree stands in the middle of the house as one of the symbols of fasting month at a Tunisian household in Dubai.
- By Hind Al Yousef, Community Web Journalist
- Published: 00:20 September 5, 2008
- Image Credit: Vazhisojan/Gulf News
- From left: Ilas Al Amari, Mounir Al Amari, Faten Al Amari and Afnan Al Amari strive to preserve Tunisian traditions during Ramadan.
The Ramadan tree stands in the middle of the house as one of the symbols of fasting month at a Tunisian household in Dubai.
The tree, a gardenia plant covered by special lights or "fawanees" and surrounded with traditional Tunisian ornaments and bits of pottery, was the creative idea of five-year-old Ilas. The idea, in fact, took shape a year ago in the youngster's mind.
Ramadan lights and colourful decorations are hung up all over the walls and in every corner of the Al Amari house.
Iftar time sees the aroma of a variety of traditional preparations, including the famous Bseesa, or crushed bread made from seeds, and Breek or fried pastry with stuffing, filling the senses.
Faten Al Amari, the lady of the house, dresses in beautifully woven traditional floor-length dresses for iftar.
"Ramadan is an occasion which brings my family together," Faten said. "Every day, we gather around the dining table for iftar and we spend the rest of the night together."
After ending their fast, it's a tradition in the Al Amari family that they sit together watching television and eating freshly prepared Zalabiya or a fried Tunisian dessert resembling a doughnut.
This family has its own unique habits when it comes to Ramadan.
"All we watch on television during Ramadan is the Tunisian channel; they have a variety of good programmes including talk shows, candid camera and soap operas which we can relate to and enjoy. We rarely watch other channels," she said.
The family doesn't go out to malls, coffee shops or Ramadan tents during the fasting month.
To them, Ramadan is a time of sitting together as a family and sharing the joy with family and friends.
"We regularly have friends of different nationalities over for Iftar. They enjoy getting to see our traditional clothes, foods and ways of celebrating this month," she said.
"At other times, we go for iftar at the houses of friends, where we can observe and experience their cultures," said Faten.
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