GHS208-01 Spring 2020 China and the Islamic Middle East

Following my post a few weeks ago about the Turkmenistan soccer league restarting its season despite the COVID-19 pandemic I decided to do an update on how the league’s restart went last week. I found a Boston Globe article that covered how many leagues around the world are currently being affected by the virus.

Per the article the first game the league played since its March 24th suspension came on April 19th. It was a game between Altyn Asyr and Kopetdag in a 20,000-capacity stadium Ashgabat, the capital of the country. The piece says that around 500 people attended the match and that the “the crowd size was broadly in line with typical domestic league games in Turkmenistan.” Attendance to the match was free. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.

If you recall from the earlier post, Turkmenistan is located right next door to Iran, one of the most infected nations in the Middle East.

Continuing my recent trend of Ramadan-themed posts, I found a piece from Foreign Policy, an American news publication focused on global affairs, current events, and domestic and international policy. The article talks about the current debate about fasting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although fasting is one of the Five Pillars in Islam its connection to COVID-19 has been brought into question. Although fasting would not directly cause the virus many have asked whether fasting from water and food would cause undue stress on the immune system, making an individual more susceptible to contracting the virus. Many countries have placed restrictions on traditional Ramadan practices like prayer, as my previous posts have discussed. But according to the article Al-Azhar University in Cairo, which is considered to be the top religious authority for Sunni Muslims released a statement that said “Not fasting during Ramadan due to coronavirus is not permissible, and fasting is a duty and a must for Muslims.”

While there is no scientific evidence that fasting makes a person more susceptible to contracting the virus, a source from the article even argues the opposite, I still think this is an interesting dynamic between one’s faith and one’s health that is happening in our world right now.

As many of you may know, this week started the Muslim holy moth of Ramadan. It is a time of reflection and self-improvement for devout Muslims. It also calls for fasting and focus on one’s community. I found a piece from Kitchn, a daily web magazine focused on home cooking and kitchen design, that breaks down Muslim fasting traditions during Ramadan. The article says that “the fast is strictly observed, even in higher latitudes, by all adult Muslims.” The elderly and the sick are exempt from the fasting. Muslims are able to eat after sunset and those meals include “fresh fruit, vegetables, halal meats, breads, cheeses, and sweets.”

The article also covers several traditional Muslim meals during Ramadan including Dahi vadey, a popular dish in India. The dish features “lentil dumplings that are soaked in a spicy yogurt sauce.” My personal favorite that I would like to eventually try from their list is Konafah which is a pastry made with phyllo dough and cheese.

I did some further digging following my earlier post about the affect that COVID-19 has had on the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and I found this jarring image if the Grand Mosque from Reuters that I wanted to share with everyone. It shows the Grand Mosque virtually empty during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of course this is a site that would be packed during a more traditional. Ramadan. Here is the photo: 

For perspective, I also found an image of the Grand Mosque during a previous Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Here is that picture: 

It is truly bizzare the impact that this virus has had everyone. Very few corners of the world, if any, have been able to escape the affects COVID-19 and the Muslim faith is no different. 

COVID-19 has left no doubt in its effects on almost every aspect of human life. Christians in America and around the world saw their Easter celebrations altered due to the spread of the virus. The Muslim holy month of Ramadan started just last Thursday but has already seen COVID-19 alter traditions. I found an NPR article that discusses Muslims who are facing “a different kind of Ramadan” this year due to the virus.

Traditionally mosques are “brimming with the faithful” during this Muslim holy month. COVID-19 has obviously forced the closure of mosques around the world. That includes those in Saudi Arabia, which is home to the holiest cities in Islam – Mecca and Medina. The article covers a multitude of countries who’s Ramadan traditions will be affected by COVID-19 including Indonesia, where the Muslim population is the largest in the world. The piece says that “mainstream Islamic organizations have issued religious pronouncements asking Muslims not to hold mass prayers or to have communal dinners known as iftar to end daily fasts at sunset.”

Recently, in the television program Rupaul’s drag race, a Muslim contestant was questioned for their use of a Hijab in their drag appearance. While many people were offended by the judge’s comments about Islamic culture, this raised many questions for me as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. What is appropriate representation? What is the difference between celebrating one’s own culture and being offensive? And a question for myself, a privileged white male; how do minorities within the LGBTQ+ community find acceptance within themselves and their communities?

While the contestant was indeed Muslim, the judge stated that they were representing an anti-gay culture. While this may be true for traditional Islam, it was incredibly insensitive for the contestant. Growing up gay, or especially Trans (which many drag queens are) within religious/cultural communities that do not accept your lifestyle can be incredibly challenging—and these people are constantly fighting to live a normal life. Just because a religious group, whether it be Christianity or Islam, etc, may have traditionally heteronormative views does not mean that individuals should be shamed for not being heterosexual. It is up to the individual how they interpret their own beliefs within their religion, and ultimately, how they choose to express that. Especially for the drag community, which isn’t even fully accepted within the gay community, this sort of moral questioning is highly inappropriate. I do believe it is insensitive, but coming from a place of ignorance, not hate. At the end of the day, however, the intentions behind any sort of cultural, sexual, or lifestyle shaming are unjustified in my eyes.

I would like to open this topic up to the class for discussion, and see what my classmates think considering the topic of LGBTQ+ individuals within cultural and religious minorities that are seen as “oppressive” towards their sexuality. What do you guys think is appropriate and inappropriate for representation in this case—or in any others?

*****link to article for more info*****

https://www.buzzfeed.com/ryanschocket2/jeff-goldbum-asked-a-drag-queen-about-their-hijab

Traditionally people are supposed to eat dumplings for every meal, every day, but most people don’t do that. Some eat dumplings during the New Year’s Eve dinner, while others eat them for the first breakfast. Though dumplings aren’t popular everywhere in China, contrary to popular belief. In the South many people would rather eat spring rolls and balls of glutinous rice in soup called tangyuan. Dumplings are more popular in the north. Here are images and descriptions of these Chinese New Year dishes and more. 

For desert, many Chinese New Year’s desserts have symbolic meaning in the name. An example is the desert tangyuan, meaning “soup balls” but sounding like tuanyuan, which means reunion. Another example is Nian gao, which is a type of rice cake that symbolizes success. Fa gao, is a third dessert that is a sponge cake muffin hybrid. It’s often dyed festival colors! The fa in the name fa gao, is the same as in fa cai, which means “to get right”. Here are some pictures and more information! All three of these deserts have a special meaning and connection to the holiday season. 

There are also special wines for the Spring Festival. Many Chinese people love drinking, and have wine for every ceremony, festival, or important dinner. With China having such a rich wine culture, it’s no surprise that there’s a bunch of drinking games played during the Spring Festival. But there are also strict toasting etiquette rules to know and follow when dining with someone older like at New Year’s dinner. There are lots of details to know about the order of the toasts, seating, how to hold the wine glass, and others. 

Decorations for Chinese New Year are all red! Families will cover their homes in the color red. In the story about Nian, the color red also scared the monster away as well as the firecrackers. Red is an invaluable weapon and used in almost all Chinese New Year decorations. The Chinese will hang up red lanterns, strings up chili peppers, and paste red paper on their doors and windows. People often buy new red clothes to add to their Spring Festival wardrobe to bring good luck and start over fresh. 

Chinese New Year ends on the first full moon of the lunar year. This night is the Yuanxiao Festival or Lantern Festival. Family is still important, but this night of the holiday is for partying and freedom. In ancient times girls were not allowed to walk around outside by themselves, except on this night. Girls would walk around to moon-gaze and look at the beautiful lanterns and because of this, it’s also known as Valentine’s Day in China. 

Xin nian kuai le, is the Chinese New Year greeting, meaning literally Happy New Year! But in Hong Kong and other Cantonese-speaking regions it’s more common to say, gong hei fat choy, or in Mandarin Chinese it’s, gong xi fa cai, which means congratulations on the fortune. 

Resource: https://chinesenewyear.net/21-things-you-didnt-know-about-chinese-new-year/

The Spring Festival is the longest Chinese holiday being technically 15 days long, but celebration begins on New Year’s Eve so it’s really celebrated for 16 days. Traditionally people over the holiday spend time with family and can only go out after the 5th day. Since it’s a national holiday most stores are closed, so people stock up for the Chinese new year holiday the month prior by buying cooking supplies, snacks, gifts, new clothes, as well as other things.

Family is the most important part of Chinese New year. On New Year’s Eve family’s have a reunion dinner that brings everyone together. In modern China, the Spring Festival causes the largest human migration in the world. Since many elderly parents live in rural villages and their children work in the cities they must travel home to vacation. In 2015, statistics showed the train stations sold 1,000 tickets per second during chuyun or Spring Migration. An important part of Chinese culture is having children and passing down the family legacy. Some desperate singles hire a fake boyfriend or girlfriend to take home to meet the family during Spring migration.

On New year’s day there is no showering because people don’t want to wash away the good luck! People also are expected to not sweep, throw garbage out, get a haircut, use sharp things, argue, swear, say unlucky words, or break things during Chinese New Year. But there is a whole day dedicated to cleaning before the Spring Festival to sweep the bad luck away and make room for the good. 

Gifts are exchanged during the Spring Festival, like other cultures, but Chinese children also receive lucky money in red envelopes. They are also called red packets or pockets that include money to help transfer fortune from the elders to the kids. Red envelopes can also be given to someone’s boss, employ, co-worker, or friend. In current times with technology, people like to send digital red pockets.

https://chinesenewyear.net/21-things-you-didnt-know-about-chinese-new-year/

More than 20% of the world celebrates Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival. It’s the most important holiday in China and to Chinese people all over. Chinese New Year is also called the Spring Festival because it marks the end of the coldest day, so people can welcome spring. It can also be called the Lunar New Year since it’s celebrated in countries like North and South Korea and Vietnam as well. Chinese New Year goes according to the lunar calendar so there is not one set date. The holiday ranges from January 21 to February 20. In 2019 the holiday occurred on February 5th, this year it took place on January 25. Although China follows the Gregorian calendar like the rest of the world, the lunar calendar is still important and what all traditional holidays are celebrated according to, like the Winter Solstice. 

Originally, the Spring Festival was a day to pray to gods for the spring, which includes the planting and harvest season. The harvest was very important to the agrarian society. People also prayed to their ancestors during the holiday. Legend says that a monster named Nian would come about every New Year’s Eve. While most people would hide safe in their homes, a brave boy fought him off with firecrackers. The following day, people set off even more firecrackers to celebrate their survival. This practice of setting off firecrackers became a crucial part of Chinese New Year. Setting off firecrackers is supposed to scare off monsters and bad luck like in the legend about Nian. So people often stay up on Chinese New Year’s Eve and set off firecrackers at midnight, and again in the morning to welcome the new year and good luck. Due to concerns for air pollution and safety, many Chinese cities have banned fireworks or have restrictions. But people often set them off anyways. Thanks to an angry public, Beijing lifted the ban on fireworks in 2006 after 13 years. Some families also burn fake paper money and printed gold bars to honor their deceased loved ones, because they believe the offerings will bring fortune and good luck to their ancestors in the afterlife.  This tradition is similar to the Korean Chuseok holiday or the Mexican Day of the Dead. 

https://chinesenewyear.net/21-things-you-didnt-know-about-chinese-new-year/