CONTENTS
Recipies:
HOLIDAYS
Food is the center of family celebrations, festive holidays and commemorative gatherings in Azerbaijan. There are dishes and rituals linked to most of the national holidays as if each generation holds hands with the next.
Novruz-or Novruz Bayram (in Azeri)-along with New Year and a
religious Ramazan Bayramy is one of the major and the most favorite
holiday of Azerbaijan. Although celebrated in Islamic countries,
Novruz is not a religious holiday actually being the celebration of the
vernal equinox and the symbolic renewal of nature. According to
scholars, it originates from the Ancient Mesopotamia. In Babylon New
Year was celebrated the 21st day of Nissanu (correspondent to March
and April) with festivities held further 12 days, each commemorated
with individual rites, amusements and performances. Novruz is certain
to have been celebrated in pre-Islamic times and later. During the
Soviet period it was given unofficial status and even persecuted.
Novruz is associated with spring, start of agricultural activities, renewal of nature and warm days. This period
being of great importance it caused many traditions and rites associated with magic, the cult of nature and earth,
and belief in the perishing and reviving nature etc.
Virtually, celebrations began four weeks before the actual day of festivity. These four weeks - or, exactly four
Wednesdays - were each devoted to one of the four elements and called correspondingly: Water Wednesday, lame Wednesday, Earth Wednesday, and Akhir Charhshanba (Last Wednesday).
First of these essential traditions was the concoction of a ritual food named
Samani (malt) which epitomized fertility of nature and the human race. This food
had magical and cultic importance and was considered sacred ritual food. For
instance, Samani was used to cure infertile women: a dish with sprung wheat for
Samani was put on the head of a woman; another woman poured a little water into
the dish cutting the squirt with scissors and pattered: "Oh, the Power which
fecundated this (samani), fecundate this woman."
According to beliefs, plenty of food and holiday dishes would provide sufficiency of these products in New Year.
Some kinds of ritual food had magic meaning - like eggs which were believed to bear nucleus of new life.
Usually, traditional Azeri plov of several sorts, sweat cookies and fruits were essential elements of holiday table,
although there are variations according to territorial affiliation.
Traditionally, all family members had to
stay at home this day, paying no visits and
accepting no guests. They said: "The one that is
out on the holiday eve will spend seven years in
wandering".
Gurban Bayram is one of the institutive religious holidays celebrated in Azerbaijan. It originates from the Biblical legend
of the arch-father Abraham (Ibrahim in Islam), his wife Hagar and their son Isaac's (Ismail in Islam) being offered for sacrifice. Sacrifice is instituted by Qur'an.
It says: "Pray to your Lord and make a sacrifice". Islam established compulsory sacrifices not only in Mecca but in all the areas inhabited by Muslims. Each family was
considered to celebrate this holiday. The rite of sacrifice had its own procedures. The sacrificial animals should have been one-year-aged and sound, without any defects.
A camel or cattle was the norm for a family and a ewe or goat for an individual. They dyed the horns and hooves of a sacrificial animal with alcanna and filleted its neck
with red band. The sacrificial meat was given to seven families. Poor families unable to make a sacrifice of a big animal could immolate a barnyard fowl.
Prohibited by official ethic rules in the Soviet period, now Gurban Bay
Proverbs, Superstitions and Traditions.
The wisdom of a nation lives in its folklore comprising proverbs, legends, songs, traditions and even superstitions shape the attitude and behavior of people. To many people in the world "Friday, the 13th" stands for unlucky business, a break-up with a girlfriend, a car accident or a brick falling down on your head and so on. We would like to quote some proverbs and mention some superstitions associated with food.
- Give bread to a baker and one more loaf on top Give bread to a baker and a loaf on top
- The Motherland is never defeated with enough bread
- His bread is on his knee (ungreatfullness)
- Two lamb heads do not boil in one pot (conflicting personalities)
- By saying "Halva-Halva" your mouth is not sweetened (initiative)
- It is a crying child that gets the milk
- Let covered pots boil covered (secrecy)
- Onion today is better than pilaf tomorrow
- One's own plain bread is much better than someone else's pilaf (self-reliance)
- Hope is better than eating
- A Fish rottens from its head (corruption)
- It is impossible to hold two watermelons in one hand
- The child is sweeter than honey
- Eating much may deprive you even of little food (Moderation is the secret to success. Greediness destroys.)
- Do a good deed and throw it into the sea. If the fish do not know the Creator will.
- Cheap meet never makes good soup (You can't expect something for nothing. A proper investment is needed to achieve something serious.
- Even let God think that you eat pilaf everyday (pride)
- A house without a guest is like a mill without water
- A guest's meal arrives before he does.
Superstitions
To many people in the world "Friday, the 13th" stands for unlucky business, a break-up with a girlfriend, a car accident or a brick falling down on your head and so on. We would like to quote some proverbs and mention some superstitions associated with food.
- Salt and cutting things should not be given as gifts. You must not take them without paying a symbolic sum for them. Otherwise, it will bring bad fortune.
- Salt accidentally spilled at home means a quarrel. Sprinkle some suger on the salt for counter action.
- Do not give knives as a presents.
- Do not lend money and bread at night.
- A person with empty buckets on your way means misfortune. A person with bread and full bags in hands will bring luck.
- Throw a bowl of water in the wake of a person that set off for a business or a long trip. It will bring him luck and help to return home safe and sound.
A living part of the country's ancient heritage, Saudi Arabia's music and traditional dance echo the timeless melodies of chanting Bedouin poets and singing swordsmen. Folklore music varies
from region to region. The national dance of Saudi Arabia, the men's sword dance known as Ardha, has its roots in the Najd. It is an ancient tradition that combines singers, dancers and a poet or narrator. Men carrying swords stand shoulder to shoulder and, from their midst, a poet begins to sing verses or a short melodic line while drummers beat out the rhythm. In the Hijaz, the al-sihba folk music combines poetry and songs of Arab Andalusia in medieval Spain. A traditional dance and song known as the al-mizmar is also performed in Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah. This features the music of the al-mizmar, a woodwind instrument similar to the oboe.Since the early 1980s the Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and the Arts has been studying and recording folk music and dance traditions in the Kingdom. The producers of a popular
television show "Folk Arts" have also traveled around the country
interviewing local musicians and recording the music and dance of every tribe
and village. Today, there are over 50 folklore
dance and music groups in the Kingdom. Popular contemporary Saudi singers value
the classical music traditions that have influenced their work and are skilled
at incorporating ancient rhythms and instruments, such as the tar and the oud,
into their modern music.