Thanks! I had no idea.
I was clueless about it until earlier in the year. There’s a lump of some kind of camel dung (maybe?) charcoal about an inch and half square that they have to light on the stove. That thing goes into a container and the tobacco sits on top or below, can recall, separated by a screen.
When they do the puff thing the draw forces the heat onto the tobacco and lights it. It’s so moist it won’t burn on its own.
I tried it a couple of times, noting to write home about.
A hookah is for social smoking. It sits in the center of the room and the hose gets passed around.
I think it’s more a fad than anything. Certainly not going to replace cigarettes for those who must smoke.