What is a hookah?
Hookah (English) or Nargila/Argile (Arabic) translation which is “water pipe or glass pipe”, is a type of tobacco smoking apparatus, where the smoke is cooled through water (or another liquid). Countries along the eastern Mediterranean coast like Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt, and also Jordan and the Gulf region, are known for having large patronage of shisha (hookah). The so-called “hookah” or hookah pipe enables smokers to inhale tobacco flavored with sweetened substances like dried figs, molasses, honey, or other types of spices. However, since the hookah is charcoal-fired, many, if not all, layers of flavor contained within the smoke can be highlighted. There are different views on the origin of hookah; India, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Syria, etc. regions might be one of the earliest habitation of hookah.
Hookah has had a long-standing attraction in South Asia and the Middle East amongst the rich upper class and the intellectual elite as a cultural practice. On a personal note, smoking hookahs can make people feel good and alleviate tension. Collectively, it can draw individuals closer together as well. Hookah smoking is interactive in nature; people tend to encircle the hookah and take turns smoking through the shared mouthpiece. Hookahs can be smoked by friends, family members, and even business associates. As a result, hookahs have connected people, acted as relaxants, and facilitated communication.
When was hookah introduced to the Middle East?
The practice of smoking hookahs continued to spread throughout the Middle East in the 19th and 20th centuries, gradually reaching Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan. By the end of the 20th century, hookahs had spread across all continents. Immigrants from the Middle East brought the practice to all corners of the globe, sharing their culture with the world. Hookahs are so popular because they are rooted in Eastern traditions and for many people are a way to experience an exotic experience. However, not everyone is familiar with hookahs, and their history can spark curiosity and spark conversations between different cultural groups.
Today, as it was more than a hundred years ago, hookahs are still a way of respect and hospitality. Families, relatives, new friends, and old friends still use this generational method to deepen their relationships when they get together. Smoking hookahs is a cultural expression that can bring together people from different social classes, religious beliefs, and political views.
Nowadays, hookahs are popular all over the world. Whether in big cities or suburbs, there are cafes and bars that serve hookahs. Hookah supply stores are also all over the world, and in the Middle East, there are even hookah delivery services.
When was the hookah first invented?
The earliest modern hookahs can be traced back to 16th century India. At that time, hookahs were made of glass, with water in the glass base (called the “pipe”) to purify the smoke. By the 17th century, hookahs (Nargila in Turkish) were part of Turkish culture and a status symbol: they were served at royal dinners and diplomatic conferences. Offering a hookah to a guest was a sign of hospitality and trust, and it was considered disrespectful for the guest to refuse it.
In the 17th century, hookahs entered Persian culture. Persian hookahs used Persian Ajami tobacco leaves with a rich dark color, and hookah craftsmen also paid more attention to aesthetics, redefining the appearance of the mouthpieces and bottles with various decorative methods. Smoking hookahs became an everyday activity that everyone could enjoy during this period.
Along with this, a new profession called “charcoal adder” emerged. In coffee shops that offer hookahs, we often see several waiters carrying metal baskets filled with hot charcoal shuttling between customers. The charcoal in hookahs will slowly cool down after a period of time, and the heating function will gradually weaken, so someone needs to add new charcoal to the bowl constantly. At this time, the charcoal adder is not only tested on the ability to remove cold charcoal and add new charcoal accurately, but they also have to help customers try hookahs again to make the hookahs burn hot again.
Why is hookah so popular?
Why is hookah culture so enduring and still popular among young people in the Middle East? One important reason is that compared to the dynamic rhythm of nightclubs and the noise of bars, hookah cafes often have a more comfortable atmosphere and a casual environment. Some young people like nightlife but cannot or are unwilling to go to places that provide alcohol for religious reasons, so hookah cafes have become their best choice.
At the same time, hookah is also a symbol of rebellious spirit. During the nationwide demonstrations in Lebanon at the end of 2019, many demonstrators brought hookahs to the demonstration site to smoke, expressing their yearning for a free life and their contempt for the powerful.
For women in the Middle East, smoking cigarettes is still not generally accepted (even in the more Westernized Lebanon, more traditional parents still do not support their daughters smoking), but smoking hookah can be regarded as a compromise between women’s self-entertainment needs and the general expectations of society. Society is much more tolerant of women smoking hookahs than smoking cigarettes.
Hazards of hookah
Next, we will explore the hazards of hookah to the human body. Hookah smoke is thick and delicious, pleasant and non-irritating. Many people believe that hookah is less harmful to the human body than most other tobacco products (such as cigarettes). Studies have shown that the carcinogenic elements and nicotine content in hookah are lower than those in cigarettes, because cigarettes produce smoke by burning tobacco, while hookah produces smoke by heating moist tobacco. It is precisely because of the lower nicotine content, more convenient preparation process, and less addiction to hookah that people in the Middle East tend to smoke hookah. But these comparative advantages do not mean that hookah is harmless to the human body. In fact, hookah can cause greater lung damage to smokers and those around them. The water in the glass bottle does not actually filter out the toxins in the smoke, and the carbon monoxide inhaled when smoking hookah is 100 times that of smoking cigarettes. Therefore, smoking hookah can also seriously damage health.
People who don’t know about hookah may mistakenly think that smoking hookah is similar to taking drugs, but this is not true. Despite this, some regions are still worried about the harm of tobacco to people’s health. Some companies are replacing traditional tobacco-using hookahs with tobacco substitutes or e-hookahs. These alternatives are also becoming more popular among the more health-conscious population.
However, with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization has strongly warned people not to smoke hookahs in public because it is a “perfect environment for the spread of viruses.” People are increasingly concerned about smoking hookahs in public for hygiene reasons. As a result, people have reduced their visits to hookah bars due to concerns about contracting the virus, because even if the mouthpiece and pipe are replaced, the body of the pot, the bottle, and even the smoke produced may contain viruses and bacteria. These viruses and bacteria can spread from person to person and can also be transmitted to non-smokers. Authorities in many countries, including the Lebanese government, have forced the closure of all hookah bars and cafes and even stopped the home delivery service without exception, and anyone who violates these regulations will be fined heavily.