Festival of faith

Siwa's annual Spiritual Journey heals and binds, writes Mahmoud El-Kaissouni*

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The procession of faith passes through the palm and olive trees of Siwa; bowls pass from hand to hand until they are placed on a tiled surface near the top of the mountain; council of Siwa's elders assembles to discuss issues and problems; henna adorns children's hands as they show off their new clothes; Siwan handicraft displayed at the base of the mountain

The distance from the tollgates on the Giza desert highway to Siwa Oasis is 749 kilometres, usually driven in approximately eight hours. The black asphalt road that lies between Marsa Matrouh and Siwa Oasis is more than 300km in length, heading south. The construction of that road was completed in 1980. Before that, Siwa was practically isolated, and reaching it was both difficult and tiring.

Society in Siwa is renowned for its serenity and purity and for its emphasis on religious and social norms. Some 30 years ago, the desert expert Raouf Ahmed Ali was charged by the Ministry of Petroleum to inform the people of one of the remote oases that an asphalt road would be constructed to link them to the cities of Egypt. Their elder referred to it as "the black road". Raouf answered "yes, its colour will be black." The elder replied, "I did not mean its colour but rather the analogy of the word black, for we are a conservative, religious society, endowed with our own peaceful traditions. Disease, in our area, is scarce, crime is alien to us, and our young respect their elders to this day. This road is black because it shall allow in attitudes that are contrary to our values and traditions."

The elder had a point. However, Siwa Oasis is resisting encroachment and to this day the society has managed to maintain its purity and not be tainted by the ills of contemporary society.

Here in Siwa you do not hear the sounds of airplanes, horns or loudspeakers, but rather the sound of the wind as it blows and rustles through the palm and olive trees, blowing the golden sand over a sea of desert. You hear the gushing of underground currents, as water pours out into the picturesque springs, where no trace of pollution exists, and the taste of the food is free of chemicals.

This year I decided to attend the Siwa festival, called Spiritual Journey, which opened following the green light given by a council of Siwa's elders. The decision, only theirs to make, is part of a tradition begun over 200 years ago. The festival usually coincides with the full moon during the month of October, but before determining the final date, a number of factors are considered, like temperature and the harvest season for dates and olives. Consideration is also given to the comfort and convenience of those participating in the occasion.

The Islamic calendar is also taken into account. For example, the holy month of Ramadan last year started in mid-October during the birth of the new moon, forcing the elders to postpone the feast until after Ramadan, in late November.

Consideration is also taken of the weather and of the circumstances of Siwa's population, which numbers over 18,000.

Contrary to how the festival's Arabic name is often understood, customs and traditions mingle in a most beautiful way. On the day before the feast, the Siwans become active, with each person donating LE1.5 to the nearest mosque, as well as five loaves of bread, to be used in the preparation of a meal of fatta (bread soaked in meat broth).

Those who own cars then pass by these mosques to collect the donations and take them to Jabal Al-Dakrour, southeast of the capital, the site where the festival is held.

A large number of the inhabitants proceed to this mountain the night before the feast to put up tents for their accommodation throughout the festival. Games such as chess, dominos and backgammon are brought along.

Those participating in the slaughtering of cattle and the preparation of meals throughout the feast days then proceed to the cooking site on the mountain, about 30 metres above sea level, on a flat piece of tiled land. The cattle are slaughtered on the eve of the feast and preparations are made for cooking. At sunrise, on the first day of the feast, cooks start cooking the meat in its broth in huge pots, with the cooking continuing until noon prayers. People gather to hang decorations, and children show off their colourful new clothes.

Outlets for the sale of Siwa handicraft, confectionery, food and merchandise are spread out. In addition, preparations are made by the fire brigade, ambulances and security personnel.

A very organised, systematic, and in fact amazing operation then takes place. In a corner of the mountain, around 1,000 metal bowls and very large plates are first washed, then handed to a group of men seated before a huge pile of bread. They break the bread into suitable portions, putting a certain number in each bowl. The bowl is then passed hand to hand by youths who number around 20, down the line at incredible speed, until it reaches the person in charge of organising these bowls in equal parallel lines -- a depth of seven bowls and a length of 142. This intricate operation is concluded minutes before the call for noon prayers. All then proceed to prayers in the sandy space at the base of the mountain.

There are no mats or carpets there, only clean and levelled sand. The elders then go down from their open hall at the top of the mountain. Their eldest acts as the Imam (prayer leader). After prayers, the second part of the feast begins.

Four parallel rows of youth stand between the hundreds of bowls and the pots of cooked meat and broth. They start lifting these bowls and pass them from one to the other very quickly to cooking pots, where the meat broth is poured into the bowl. The bowl is then returned at the same speed to the designated space on the surface located at the centre of the mountaintop, then a number of the men start chanting anasheed (religious poetry) amidst these rhythmic movements.

Meanwhile, feasters gather in circles on the sandy surface where they had prayed, at the base of the mountain. Once all are seated, the last phase starts -- young volunteers carry the bowls, placing one in the middle of each circle. No one makes any move in the direction of these bowls. All sit silent until the chief cook ascertains that each circle has a bowl of fatta in its midst. He then cries Bismillah (in the name of Allah) and everyone reaches for the bowl to start eating with their hands, in a gesture symbolic of the spirit of equality amongst them.

The council of elders assembles during the day in a special hall on the mountaintop to discuss issues and problems. The people of Siwa do not resort to courts or lawyers; the council solves all their problems, and its rulings are enforced and respected. After evening prayers, the people gather in a large circle and start chanting anasheed : "Allah is Great, peace and blessings be upon Prophet Mohamed."

The people then scatter, some going to their business but a large number remaining to spend the night in pleasant conversation and playing games in the tents. These functions are repeated for three consecutive days. On the morning of the fourth day, at around 8.30, all gather in white clothes at the base of Jabal Al-Dakrour, some holding green flags on which verses from the Qur'an are printed. Leading this procession are the elders and chiefs of the clans. After greeting each other with a handshake and reading parts of the Qur'an, they then start off whilst calmly chanting anasheed.

The procession continues amongst the palm trees with their ripened golden fruits, and the olive fields of green and black. Every once in a while they stop to read the opening verses of the Qur'an. A number of the inhabitants join this procession until it comes to an end, about 90 minutes later, at the grave of Sidi Suleiman, known as the Sultan of Siwa, where they form a large circle and chant their anasheed. After some time, the chanting stops and they again read the opening verses of the Qur'an. They then say their farewells for the last time, and everyone leaves. The Siwa Spiritual Journey comes to an end, and all eagerly look forward to their encounter next year.

I met haj Abdel-Rahman Osman Ahmed, head of the Sufi Medina Brotherhood (attributed to the city of Medina in Saudi Arabia) as well as chief of the Elders Council of Siwa Oasis. When haj Abdel-Rahman learnt that I represent the Egyptian Federation of Tourist Chambers he reprimanded me on the actions of tourists during the festival. I expressed my surprise, as according to my knowledge and to that of all my colleagues, the Siwa festival is tourist-oriented, during which marriage ceremonies, date and olive harvesting and peace-making take place. However, he corrected my information and added that the feast is a spiritual festival, during which Allah and Prophet Mohamed are praised. All festivities of the feast are religious, with the people of Siwa, youth and elders alike, gathering for three days with love and respect to recite the Qur'an and to chant anasheed, make peace and resolve disagreements, harvest dates and olives and conclude marriages amidst a beautiful, picturesque setting. As such, they were astounded to find female tourists wearing revealing clothes, with their heads uncovered, standing amidst this religious ceremony to take photographs, and at times sitting amongst the people. Such behaviour, haj Abdel-Rahman explained, is absolutely contradictory to the spirit of the occasion, and it is the duty of tourism and hotel companies to consider the feelings of the people of Siwa and their spiritual festival by informing tourists and visitors to wear suitable clothing and show respect for the occasion and its festivities. He assured me that the people of Siwa would warmly welcome tourists and visitors of Egypt but that it was important that these actions are not repeated at next year's feast.

This was confirmed to me by a number of European ambassadors residing in the same ecolodge I was in. They told me this was the first time they were told that these celebrations were religious feasts, and assured me that next year they would respect and abide by tradition.

In a number of encounters with the people of Siwa, they expressed their appreciation of Governor Mohamed Shehata's respect for the cultural environment of Siwa, manifested in various ways, such as the lighting of roads, the recent construction of a branch of the Al-Qahira Bank, a commercial complex, and a modern cafeteria, the architecture and design of all of which is in harmony with the oasis' traditions, using karsheef (soil impregnated with salt) for building while taking the appropriate security measures inside the buildings. The preservation of Siwan architectural tradition maintains a sense of harmony with their surroundings and adds a touch of beauty to Siwa Oasis.

However, many are upset over the actions of a number of governmental bodies within the oasis, as each authority moves independently and with complete supremacy, a state of affairs that has made for a chaotic situation. One example is the Agricultural Drainage Authority which, in trying to solve the excess water problem that affected the agriculture of the oasis, blew up a water pipe, in the process destroying part of Jabal Al-Gary in order to quickly obtain the rocks required for the execution of their projects. Located nine kilometres west of the oasis, Jabal Al-Gary is one of the oldest mountains in the area, encompassing ancient tombs, and is under the auspices of the High Council for Antiquities.

This led to a quick response from the director of Siwan Antiquities and Monuments, and to the appointment of guards to prevent a repeat of the incident. Now, over 95 per cent of all buildings that disregard Siwa's architectural heritage vis-ˆ-vis their height, building material and their appearance, are owned by the government. In spite of laws issued by the current governor and his predecessor, as well as the 1994 environmental laws, the situation has not changed, and is in fact worsening.

Despite the large population of the oasis, there are no regular medical services or basic specialisations such as opticians or outlets for the sale of prescription glasses. Their only access to these basic services is a medical caravan which visits twice a month, forcing residents of Siwa, despite their limited financial capabilities, to travel to Marsa Matrouh or Alexandria for their needs.

In this regard, I have asked the prime minister to issue a decree granting Siwa Oasis special status to be managed by a Supreme City Council along the lines of the city of Luxor, for Siwa is as historically important as Luxor, and international recognition of its tourist and environmental importance is increasing by the year. I hope we all try to preserve this picturesque and beautiful oasis, the Siwa Oasis, the North African Sahara's jewel where weather, land and people remain pure.

* The writer is chairman of the Ecotourism Committee of the Egyptian Federation of Tourist Chambers.