Language
The Arabic word meaning "come on," "hurry up," or "let's go."
What is Yalla?
The animated film set in the fictional Middle Eastern city of Agrabah.
What is Aladdin?
The three continents on which Middle Eastern countries lie.
What are Asia, Africa, and Europe?
What are the Tigris and the Euphrates?
What is Hummus?
The Arabic word meaning "God willing" (but every Middle Eastern kid knows that when a parent says it, it really means "no.")
What is Inshallah?
The half-Lebanese singer and dancer who performed the traditional Middle Eastern "zaghrouta" vocal trill during her Super Bowl Halftime Show performance.
Who is Shakira?
The salt lake bordered by Jordan and Palestine that sits 1448 feet below sea level, making it the lowest point on the Earth's surface.
What is The Dead Sea?
The city which was once the capital of Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires, which is known today as Istanbul, Turkey.
What is Constantinople?
What are Falafel?
The Arabic word meaning "my love," which can be used romantically or by family/friends.
What is habibi/habibti?
The Palestinian model nicknamed "the Princess of Nazareth."
Who is Bella Hadid?
The smallest country in the Middle East, comprised of only 294 square miles and with a population of just over 1.5 million people.
What is Bahrain?
The Palestinian headscarf with a fishnet design to represent the sea and fishermen and olive leaves symbolizing resilience and connection to the land.
What is Keffiyeh?
The salad made with parsley, tomatoes, cucumber, green onion, salt, olive oil, and lemon juice.
What is Tabbouleh?
The Arabic word meaning "I swear," and now used as slang for "on God."
What is Wallah or Wallahi?
The medieval collection of Middle Eastern and Indian folktales, including Ali Baba and Sindbad the Sailor.
What is One Thousand and One Nights or The Arabian Nights?
One of the Seven Wonders of the World, this ancient city was half-built, half-carved directly into sandstone cliffs.
What is Petra, Jordan?
The wedge-shaped writing system developed by the ancient Sumerians in Mesopotamia.
What is Cuneiform?
A popular Middle Eastern food made from thin slices of seasoned meat stacked on top of one another and slow-raosted on a vertical rotisserie spit, then served in pita bread with toppings like pickled vegetables, tomatoes, and tahini.
What is shawarma?
The Arabic word for "coffee," the significance of which we talked about at MELA's GBM.
What is Qahweh
The pear-shaped, 11-stringed instrument that can be heard in many Middle Eastern songs, often called the "King of Instruments."
What is the Oud?
The location of the first law school in the world, established during the Roman Empire.
What is Beirut, Lebanon?
The ancient Egyptian Pharaoh for whom the Great Pyramid of Giza was built as a monumental tomb.
Who was Pharaoh Khufu?
A warm pastry made with crispy shredded kataifi dough layered over gooey cheese, baked until golden, soaked in syrup, and topped with chopped pistachios.
What is Knafeh?