Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
media coverage and are the people upon whom the entire culture of the mostly peaceful,
amiable, adaptable and tolerant Arabian Peninsula is judged.
TEA & TALK
A
dewaniya
(gathering), usually conducted at someone's home - in a tent or on cushions just outside it, to be pre-
cise - is an important aspect of Gulf life, and any visitor who has the chance to partake in one will find it the best
opportunity to observe Arab social life firsthand. The object of the gathering, which has its origin in Bedouin tra-
ditions of hospitality, is to drink endless cups of hot, sweet tea - oh, and to chew the political cud, of course. It is
usually a 'man thing'. As one Kuwaiti woman explained, the women of the house are usually too busy living life
to waste time discussing it.
