Middle East - Anthony Ham [180]
Daily Life
Iraqi life revolves around the family and extended family, a bond that took on added significance during years of war, sanctions and international isolation. Family dominates all aspects of Iraqi life, with great importance on honour and reputation. It’s a paternalistic, patriarchal and conservative society, especially in rural areas. Iraq is primarily a tribal society. Allegiance to one’s ethnic group often takes precedent over any party, provincial or national loyalties, and ethnic interests play an important role in the shaping of government and public policy.
The role of women is complex. Legally, men and women have the same rights. Women are commonplace in government, politics, media, private business and universities. Nevertheless, women are still expected to take on the traditional role as wife and mother. Arranged marriages are the norm, usually between first cousins. So-called honour killings are, sadly, not uncommon. Sectarian violence that swept through Iraq in 2006 forced many women back into the home and to adopt a more conservative style of dress. Men and women socialise separately and public displays of affection are taboo.
Population
Iraq’s population is one of the most multicultural in the Middle East. About 75% of the population is Arab, 15% Kurdish and the rest made up of Turkomans, Assyrians, Persians, Chaldeans, Palestinians, Yazidis and nomadic Bedouins. Iraq is a predominantly urban society, with 74% living in cities. Iraq has a youthful population, with about 40% under the age of 15.
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COMEDY OF ERRORS
Iraqis are well known across the Middle East for their satirical sense of humour, even in the face of adversity. Black comedy and political satire have been raised to an art form on TV, while Iraqi comedies poke fun at everything from the Iraqi government and the US occupation to suicide bombings, sectarian violence and electricity blackouts. Under Saddam Hussein, such criticism would have been unthinkable. Now, it’s a national pastime. Popular shows include Caricatures, a variety sketch show that lampoons daily life in post-war Iraq, and Hurry Up, He’s Dead, Iraq’s answer to The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
Comedy isn’t without its risks. In a 2004 interview, Caricatures star Walid Hassan told me Iraqis use comedy as a survival mechanism. ‘We laugh because we are done crying,’ he said. Two years later Hassan was shot dead while driving home, just another in Iraq’s long line of tragedies.
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RELIGION
Islam is the official religion of Iraq. Muslims make up 97% of the population – about 60% Shiite and 40% Sunni. There are also small but historically significant communities of Christians who belong to various sects including Chaldeans, Assyrians, Syrian and Roman Catholics, Orthodox Armenians and Jacobites. Other religious minorities are the Yazidis, Sabeans, the Mandeans (followers of John the Baptist) and a handful of Jews.
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ENVIRONMENT
The Land
Iraq’s terrain is mainly characterised by broad plains. The upper plain stretches northwest from Hit and Samarra to the Turkish border between the Euphrates and Tigris River, the most fertile region. The lower plain stretches southeast to the Gulf and contains the marshes, a wetland area flanked by high reeds. Iraq’s deserts lie to the west of the Euphrates, stretching to the borders of Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. The Tigris and Euphrates converge near Baghdad, diverge and then meet again at Qurna (the legendary site of the Garden of Eden) to form the wide Shatt al-Arab River that flows through Basra and into the Gulf. Northeast Iraq along the Turkish and Iranian borders contains the country’s most dramatic landscapes, with soaring mountains, deep canyons, natural springs, raging rivers and waterfalls.
Environmental