Customer Reviews

Culture and Customs of Egypt (Culture and Customs of Africa)

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Molefi Assante, the father of the Afrocentric movement, attempts to write a overview of modern Egypt. Molefi covers the customs and cultures that make up the modern Egyptian nation. Everything from modern religion to cusine is covered.

Problem is most of the information to be expected from Molefi Assante is missing. He shows his ignorance in completely neglecting the customs and cultures of rural Egyptians. The largely neglected fellahin which most Cairene Egyptians desend from. Assante could have taken this oppotunity to connect the folk customs of the rural and poor baladi Egyptians to other Africans.

Although most Egyptians pratice Christianity and Islam, some folk customs survive and deserve attention. Other volumes of Cultures and Customs provide a great overiew of folk customs ..ie Culture and Customs of the Congo,Ghana and Nigeria.


The other faulty notion is that simply the Coptic or Nubians Egyptians preserve the ancestry of the ancient Egyptians. True, many modern Egyptians are hetrogenous including both Copts and Nubians but this does not negate that many Muslims also have ancient Egyptian ancestry.


Also neglected is certain ethnic grous such as the Hawwara,Ababda,and others who are hidden within the framework of Copts,Nubians and Muslim Egyptians.

One very positive aspect of this books is it shows many nice pictures of rural Egyptians and Nubians. Both demonstrate that African ancestry flows through the veins of modern Egyptians no matter how diluted from foreign incursions.

I recommend this book to anybody who anybody wanting a crash course in modern Egyptian life. This book is a very mainstream and westernized view. If you want to know more about how the everyday Egyptian lives and their folkculture then check out Baladi Women of Cairo Evelyn E Early,Coptic Saints and Pilgrimages Otto Meinardus,and Upper Egypt: Life along the Nile, Nicholas S Hopkins.


For resources on the Nubians check out Nubian Ceremonial Life edited by Joeseph Kennedy.

Part of the "Culture And Customs Of Africa" series, Culture And Customs Of Egypt by Molefi KeteAsante (Professor, Department of African American Studies, Temple University) is a straightforward and reader accessible look at daily life in modern Egypt, including its people, history, religion, art, food, social customs and much, much more. Written in a plain, easy-to-understand prose that is ideal for students and non-specialist general readers alike, Culture And Customs Of Egypt is an enriching presentation and survey of a great nation Middle East nation which is very highly recommended reading for tourists, vacationers, armchair travelers, and anyone else who wants or needs to know the basics of life, culture, society, and religion in Egypt today.