summer 2007
that's a real yemeni qat bulge.
the arabic word that yemenis use to describe chewing qat comes from the root "kha-za-na", which literally means "to store." our english word "magazine" shares this same etymological root (via french, maybe?). often the arabic prefix M (Mim) indicates a place name -- so a magazine (M-kha-za-n) could be a place to store ammunition for your guns. or a magazine (M-kha-za-n) could be a place to store information.
qat contains two amphetamine-like stimulants and a narcotic which intensifies concentration and euphoria. the effects vary depending on the type of qat you buy. some yemenis swear it is an aphrodisiac -- others swear it is just the opposite.
historically, islamic legal schools have diverging opinions on whether or not qat ought to be forbidden for muslims to chew.
according to the US embassy this summer, the american govt considers qat to be a class 1 narcotic, which legally makes qat dealing or qat possession in the united states "worse" than the dealing or possession of cocaine.
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this is a qat bush. qat is yemen's most reliable cash crop, but it's drawback is that it requires a lot of water (less water, however, than coffee plants). a good deal of the agriculture you see around yemen are qat farms. they are about as common as vinyards are in the south of france -- qat connesieurship abounds as well.
when you buy qat, a nice bouqet might come wrapped in big banana leaves and a red plastic wrapper.
there are different kinds of qat, each chewer has their personal favorites. People judge on taste, texture, and the pace of the high. shaami qat (pictured above) is the champagne of qat, and it can only be found in and around the hodayda region west of Sana'a. It also happens to be the most expensive (this bouqet cost heather and I 1200 riyal between us, about 3 dollars each). hamdani is at the top of the heap in Sana'a -- 'ansi qat is mellower -- meanwhile souti is notoriously cheap (25 cents a bunch) and famous for its menacing effects (nightmares & hallucinations, they say). souti is popular with truck drivers who stay up late on windy roads, and arabic language students looking for cheap fun.
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you have to wash and dry the qat before you "store" it in your gums. otherwise you're mouth will be sore the next day.
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this is hamdani. usually you chew the tips and some of the softer stems. then you discard anything that looks unappetizing. after a few hours, you spit it out. they say that in ethiopa, qat chewers will swallow it all down after chewing. just make sure you floss afterwards.
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qat is not native to yemen, but has been present here in yemen for hundreds of years. it is a major part of yemeni culture. any kind of socializing (informal or formal gatherings) require the presence of qat. these are two praisers at a wedding qat chew. watch my video of it here. they are chewing and singing praise to the about-to-be newlyweds.
they had hooked up two digital delay pedals together for a psychadellic effect. pictured here is the second dd-3 in their chain -- if you haven't yet, you can see a video of him playing around with the settings in this same video.
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"i can't believe i chewed the whole thing."
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