How the Hookah Came to
America
Hookah smoking is emerging
as a new social phenomenon in the States.
Step into any trendy bar, and you’re likely to see one of these exotic
water pipes in the center of a circle of people, mostly young and engaged in
conversation as they pass the hose around.
It’s an old vision, from the earliest origins of the hookah pipe, but
there it is, in the 21st century.
Origins
The hookah originated in or
near the Middle East, sometime between 7 and 8 centuries ago.The exact location is uncertain, but it’s
probable that the earliest hookahs were developed in southernPersia or northern India; some of the hookah’s alternate names (nargile,
shisha) are of Persian origin, and the word hookah comes from India. From this
Persian-Indian origin, the hookah spread into the Middle East and North Africa, where it was encountered by European explorers in
the late 1500s.
East Meets West
The Europeans, at first,
were not impressed with the hookah.
British officials in
India, during the 19th century, were recorded
as smoking the pipe, but only because it was part of the culture of the rajahs
and village elders they had to deal with.
Most European records do not treat the hookah favorably.
Things began to change in
the 20th century. As an ever
increasing influx of immigrants from the Middle East, North Africa, and South
Asia went to Europe and the United States, they brought their traditions with them.Among those traditions was the hookah.This writer had a unique meeting with the
hookah tradition. An acquaintance of
mine, who owned a coffee shop in Southeast Michigan, was an immigrant of Lebanon, and he enjoyed his hookah. We had some fascinating conversations, over
strong coffee and a hookah smoke.
Catching On
Being a social pastime,
hookah smoking quickly caught the eye of the younger generations. That trend began to accelerate towards the
end of the century, and hookah smoking caught on for several reasons.
First, the tobacco mixes
used in hookahs are truly unique. They
are much more flavorful than cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, and far less
dangerous. Not only to they contain
fewer toxins, but the water filtration of the hookah makes the smoke cleaner
than other types of smoking.
Second, hookah smoking is
social. While cigarette smokers are
notorious for stalking off to corners to get their smoke, hookahs, by their
very nature, are smoked in the open, in a group. There is a definite camaraderie to hookah
smoking; sitting around in a circle, with the intricately designed pipe in the
center, and the conversation following the hose from person to person, is a
good way to keep good feelings moving.
And finally, while
cigarettes and cigars tend to be noxious, and traditional pipes put out clouds
of smoke, a hookah isn’t just a pipe, or something to smoke. A good hookah is a work of art, too. The glass vase and the metal stem lend
themselves to artistry in design, and the whole effect, even when not in use,
is almost guaranteed to start a conversation.
About HomeoftheHookah.com
HomeoftheHookah.com is a new
online distributor of fine hookahs, hookah tobacco mixes, and hookah
accessories. Whether you’ve known about
hookahs for years, or are just now jumping on a trendy bandwagon, we’ve got everything
you need for the best hookah experience. Check us out at http//:www.HomeoftheHookah.com. |
