Either that, or I've gotta do something about refining my poor Egyptian look. (Don't tell the Mrs.)
Posted on 03/02/2007 6:50:54 AM PST by Sax
Authorities of the Egyptian city of Luxor recently embarked on a new campaign in an attempt to stop a phenomenon that has been plaguing the city in recent years. The new effort in the well-known tourist city started after it was discovered that some 40 percent of Luxor youth were married to Western women - most of whom were in their late 40s and 50s.
According to Al Sharq Al Awsat newspaper, leaders fear that the social make-up of Luxor will be drastically changed to the detriment of the city if the new trend doesn’t cease in the near future.
The new campaign is set to include both Christian and Muslim religious leaders who will stress to young males the importance of marrying local Egyptian women rather then choosing foreign women.
Dr. Samir Faraj, who heads the Luxor municipality, explains that the main reason behind such marriages is financial motivation, rather than an expression of love. In his words, young Egyptians believe that marrying a Western woman will cure their financial troubles.
Faraj maintains that the key to changing the situation lies in the creation of new and viable employment positions for such youth, who will then be free to marry the women of their choice, and not be constrained to choose a wife on the basis of her financial background.
He also adds that the families of such men would also prefer that their children marry locally. However, in light of the difficult economic conditions throughout Egypt and Luxor, they understand that marrying a Western woman - even if she may be as much as twice as old as their sons - is an opportunity worth taking.
Luxor is one of several Upper Egyptian governorates, including Fayoum, Beni Suef, El Menia, Assiut, Sohag, Quena, and Aswan, whose populations struggle with extreme poverty. Luxor, however, attracts countless tourists annually from across the world to its breathtaking ancient ruins. In fact, Egypt and its magnificent archeological treasures drew an estimated nine million tourists in 2006, many of whom passed through Luxor. However, with an economy based solely on a sometimes shaky tourism industry easily influenced by regional political developments, much of the town’s residents fail to reap the benefits of a potentially lucrative source of income.
Such economics have meshed with tradition to maintain what until recently was a strict code of conduct in terms of marriage and intermarriage. This is especially true in Upper Egypt, as opposed to urban centers, such as Cairo, where there is far more exposure to non-Egyptian cultural norms.
Young people in Upper Egypt rarely date or spend time alone with one another prior to marriage. Instead, couples are generally paired up by matchmakers at early ages, with some girls being engaged by the age of nine or ten (though marriage under the age of 15 is prohibited). Such matchmakers, along with parents, often choose a wife for a young male from his own family, where the woman’s reputation, social and financial standing is clear. Cousins often marry, on the condition that the cousin is from the father's side, guaranteeing the continuation of the family name.
The new phenomenon of intermarriage with unknown, older foreign women is therefore extremely threatening to the traditional fabric of the community; the preservation of lineage as well as local tradition for both men and women are maintained through local marriage custom. Additionally, as a growing number of young men marry foreign women, local women in Luxor are left with little or no options for entering a marriage and establishing a family.
Either that, or I've gotta do something about refining my poor Egyptian look. (Don't tell the Mrs.)
Typical Arab inbreeding. At least if they marry older Western women, they'll be more likely to have healthy children.
"if they marry older Western women"
Infideltitty
(Can I get a ruling on this? A bit much? No?)
*snicker*
But seriesly, the local custom is so dysfunctional that I think having guys marrying foreign dowagers for $$ is an improvement. It's not like they'd be marrying their 9-year-old cousins because they're deeply in love; that's purely business, too.
Importing a little enlightenment can't do anything but help. Of course they're going to get some nasty glares from out of the eye slits of many a burka.
Where are these well-to-do, older foreign women coming from? And why would they want to marry penniless Egyptian jerks?
"Dad, if you try to force me to marry an Egyptian woman, I'll refuse, I'll just go back to goats. They smell better."
"No goats, Son, you have to marry an Egyptian woman. You simply have to do this, it's is your duty. Lie back and think of Egypt, like I did."
I don't think they wear burkas in Egypt; those are Afghan. Saudis wear "abayas," and Lebanese wear "chadors."
I used to know the term for Egypt, but I've forgotten. Maybe it's "niqab."
Who knows what dynamics are at work year. Older European women with some money wanting a younger foriegn men to fawn over them?
Would somebody wearing a niqab loosely resemble someone wearing a ninja-esque dress?
They're almost certainly Europeans. One more sign of the decline of Europe into Eurabia, perhaps...
Rural Egyptian women generally wear yards of black robes. Isn't a ninja outfit more like pants and kimono top? That would be more similar to shalwar-kameeze, trousers and a tunic worn in northern India and Pakistan.
Your foriegn fashion knowledge is making my head spin.
Mine is limited to Shorts, Slacks, Shirts & Coats. For guy I do like shoes though. The little lady ribs me for practically having as many pairs as she does.
Why not? Especially if they look like a young Omar Sharif. And by the time they start looking like old Omar Sharif, the women would be either too old to care or passed on. Sounds like a good deal for everyone.
LOL! It's a girl thing - I just like clothes, especially foreign clothes. Don't care about shoes, though. I have running shoes, sandals, loafers, offwhite pumps, and black pumps. And bright purple slippers from Wal-mart.
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