Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 30 Nov. - 6 Dec. 2000 Issue No.510

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Lyrical lanterns

By Fatemah Farag

The conspicuous consumption that has marked Ramadan for as long as most people care to remember is unlikely to abate this year, despite what many pundits have identified as an economy in sharp recession. But the shape of Ramadan this year is influenced not only by old-fashioned consumerism, but also by current events, and the latest in technological fads.

The new mood of political solidarity generated by the ongoing Israeli massacre of Palestinian civilians and the rebirth of the Intifada has already manifested itself in that quintessential Ramadan fixture, the fanous, the Ramadan lantern popular since Fatimid times and usually bought for children to play with after the fast is broken at sunset. A new, political fanous, in the shape of the Dome of the Rock, and which sings parts of Zahret El-Mada'in -- the song about Jerusalem immortalised by the Lebanese diva Fairuz -- has been a strong seller this year.

"Buying the lantern symbolises that we care, and that Jerusalem is in our hearts," reported one young man who had returned to the fanous stall, unhappy with his Macarena playing original buy, and obviously keen to supplement it with something more committed. "The glaring anger is coming and my heart is full of faith," runs the lyrical lantern.

The Intifada, it seems, has become an emotive marketing ploy, a weapon to be brandished not only against Israeli oppression and brutality, but also as a sales gimmick. At the wholesale date market, one brand has been renamed Intifada, and vendors say they expect it to sell first and fast.

But then many kinds of food sell like hotcakes during this month when the paradox between the fast and the feast is daily negotiated. According to the Chamber of Grain Industries, the monthly consumption of flour is expected to increase from 145,000 tonnes to 165,000, a 14 per cent increase, and rice consumption is expected to increase by 25 per cent. It is hardly surprising, then, that senior officials have been keen to impress on the public that effective measures are in place to ensure that increased quantities of staples reach the market.

The good news this year, though, is that food prices are expected to be lower than last. Surprisingly, given the slight devaluation of the Egyptian pound against the dollar, and the well-publicised shortage of the latter, the cost of yameesh ingredients, a Ramadan must, have registered some of the biggest falls. According to Al-Gumhoria newspaper, yameesh prices are down by 20 per cent on last year's figures. So, you can buy Iranian white raisins, American prunes, Turkish apricots and Spanish almonds at a relatively reasonable price.

But the economic slowdown, if it has impacted by lowering prices, also means that many people cannot buy as much as they would like. Store-owners are already reporting disappointing sales in comparison to previous years, complaining that the pre-Ramadan rush to stock up on food is not what it used to be.

After a sumptuous breakfast meal, there is, of course, the question of recreation -- though in today's world TV is unlikely to be enough. Want to play the fawazeer games TV made so popular? Then go to www.fazoura.com where sponsors have set up Fazoura On-Line, which offers three daily competitions with prizes that range from MP3 players to free iftars at selected restaurants. A sample question at fazoura.com: "Where is the Taj Mahal? India, or South Africa?"

If you are away from your computer and you just have to get the day's riddle, not to worry. For the first time in Egypt -- and anywhere else most probably -- you can get your fazoura on the mobile courtesy the Wap.

Another Internet-mobile Ramadan fad is emadfa3.com, which describes itself as "the new notification SMS service of iftar time to all Egyptians," and boasts a logo comprising a cannon firing a Nokia model mobile phone. Just why anyone needs his or her mobile phone to notify them of the time of iftar when the call to prayer rings everywhere is beyond the comprehension of this writer, but for the sake of investigative journalism an attempt was made to sign up to the service via a long application that can be accessed at www.emadfa3.com. The result: no notification has as yet been forthcoming at iftar time.

So catch up with the times; stock up on yameesh and between TV programmes and eating, take time to play your political fanous and sit in front of the computer with your mobile near-by. Welcome to Ramadan 2000.

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