Faces: People, Places, and Cultures articles from November 2001

Faces: People, Places, and Cultures archives from November 2001

Saudi Arabia. (At a glance).(interesting facts about the country)
November 1, 2001... Official Name: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Location: The Middle Eastern country is located on the Arabian Peninsula, which is part of southwest Asia. Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait are to the north; Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Oman are to the...

Saudi Arabia. (Only In ...).(hunting of birds with trained falcons)
November 1, 2001... In the hot desert of Saudi Arabia, a group of friends on horseback assembles to practice an ancient and noble sport. They point and look overhead as a tiny speck comes into view. The speck comes closer, and its crescent-shaped wings reveal it...

In the know.(words related to the country of Saudi Arabia)
November 1, 2001... Look for the following people, places, and things in this issue. Allah: Arabic word for "God." Arabia or Arabian Peninsula: The world's largest peninsula located in southwest Asia or the Middle East, containing about two-thirds of the...

The royal family.(of Saudi Arabia)
November 1, 2001... Saudi Arabia's king is the chief of state as well as the head of government. The country has no written constitution, no legislature, no political parties, and no one may vote. Although it is referred to as an "absolute monarchy," the king is...

Lifting the veil.(restrictions against women in Saudi Arabia)
November 1, 2001... On November 6, 1990, a group of veiled Saudi women drove through downtown Riyadh until the police stopped and detained them. The government seized their passports, and those who were teachers lost their jobs. Although women driving would be...

Clothing and customs of Saudi Arabia.
November 1, 2001... I was on an airplane to Saudi Arabia when I first noticed the traditional dress of the Saudi men and women on board. The white ankle-length shirt thobes of the men and the flowing black cloaks or abbayas of the women-intrigued me. As soon as I...

Yasmeen's story.(family and social life of teenagers in Saudi Arabia)
November 1, 2001... Concerned about the possible criticism or backlash she and her family might face, Yasmeen asked that we not publish her last name or photographs of her. When you think of Saudi Arabia, what comes to mind? Perhaps oil, deserts, and people...

Mecca and Medina: Islam's holiest cities.
November 1, 2001... Long before the prophet Muhammad was born there in 570 C.E., Mecca was a prosperous market town. Because of its central location at the crossroads of the trade routes, goods from many lands were exchanged there. Muhammad belonged to the...

Gahwa: the ritual of coffee-making.(in Saudi Arabia)
November 1, 2001... The preparation, serving, and drinking of gahwa (coffee) are important rituals in Saudi life. To be offered gahwa (gach-WA) is an honor and is a host's way of saying, "Ahlan Wasahlan" ("ACH-lan was-ACH-lan"), or "Welcome" to his guests. But do...

Arabic: language of Islam.(how the Arab language is written and spoken)
November 1, 2001... "Issalaamu `alaykum!" "Peace be upon you!" is a common greeting in Arabic, the official language of Saudi Arabia and 24 other countries across the Middle East and North Africa. In fact, about 200 million people worldwide speak Arabic. Why...

Arabic words of wisdom.(Arab proverbs)
November 1, 2001... Proverbs illustrate the attitudes and customs of a culture, as well as its wisdom. For instance, Arabs say, "Ibn il 'ibn ibni, wa bint ilbint bint innaas," which means, "The son of my son is my son, but the daughter of my daughter is someone...

When the sun rises. (Letters).(Poem)
November 1, 2001... Starlit skies loom ahead Reflections of the moon shine over waters Crickets sound Owls cry Bats fly At the peak of morning When sun fills the horizon Birds sing Flowers bloom And children...

Varnack and Lolly. (Letters).(Poem)
November 1, 2001... Lolly is in a cave She is screaming to be saved Varnack comes to save He is screaming to be saved Varnack and Lolly find each other They run home to their mothers Then go out to play On a nice spring day ...

Books. (Further Exploring).(books about Saudi Arabia)(Bibliography)
November 1, 2001... Saudi Arabia by Leila Merrell Foster Engaging color photographs and text introduce the country, including customs, geography, industry, and history. The color photographs of people, landscape, and daily life tell the story of a world...

Kits. (Further Exploring).(The Culture and Peoples of the Arab World, multimedia kit for teachers)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... The Cultures and Peoples of the Arab World: A Curriculum Kit for Grades K-4 The Teaching Resource Center at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Harvard University has developed an exciting multimedia culture kit for elementary grades,...

On-line. (Future Exploring).(Web site about Middle Eastern countries)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2001... Middle East Country Profiles This site from the BBC offers an excellent, up-to-date look at Middle Eastern countries. Click on Saudi Arabia for easy-to-use information, including recent news, a map, an audio file of the national anthem, a...