By Yasamine, an Iraqi in Jordan


Afar from the killing and abducting in their homeland, Iraqis, whether residing in Amman, Jordan or just visiting, have become accustomed to celebrating their joyous events or sometimes sad ones in the neighboring Jordan.

One fine Friday evening, a young Iraqi bride and groom walked the alter in the prestigious hall of the Four Seasons Hotel. The newlyweds were preceded with candles, a shower of rose buds, maskoul –a candy widely used in Iraqi on such occasions, and halahil, or ululating.

The couple took spontaneously to the stage followed by their parents. Everything was next to perfect. The banquet a mixture of Iraqi and European cuisine, the music, ultimately topped by the hospitality Iraqis are renowned for.

Baghdad, once a dynamic city, whose generous inhabitants value their wide circles of social relations, nowadays confine to their houses, or at the most carry out visits to their door –to -door neighbors. Subsequently, if the wed-to-be and their families persist on going through the adventure of a wedding, then they have to follow a certain criteria. The precession has to take place in broad daylight, most probably over lunch, a custom practiced mostly by farmers. Furthermore, it should not take place in a conspicuous area, where it can be an easy target; finally, the guests cant be mixed gender. Only women.

However, even this adventure, has become another extinct leisure that the Iraqis were deprived from after the bombing of the Shiite shrine in Sammarra. Meanwhile the wedding singer, Adil Ogla , also Iraqi, appealed to the audnience with Iraqi songs. The dancing stage was soon full, all were dancing elegantly dressed women, with their off shoulder gowns, or veils, dancing with sharply dressed men.

Eventually, the music slowed down and the beat of drums took off signaling the commence of “Chobee” [An Arabic dance where dancers, traditionally men, stand hand in hand and form half a circle and dance to the tunes.] dance.

Spontaneously, men and women, hand in hand shoulder by shoulder formed one large circle. Sunni, Shiite, Kurd, Muslim and Christian, all joined perform this conventional Iraqi folk dance.

“You turned the clock back four years, ” a middle aged women, who just arrived from Baghdad, told the groom’s mother. She added with a sigh “Vivid memories came back to me of our celebrations back in Al Rasheed Hotel.”

Al Rasheed Hotel was one of Baghdad’s prominent hotels, where the Iraqis used to celebrate their joyous events, in addition to other hotels and clubs scattered around the capital. Following 2003 invasion, it was taken over by the U.S. forces and only a few know what has become of it now.

At the ladies washroom, Iraqi women bumping into each other started the common conversation, one asks the other are you residing here or visiting?” Um Hussam answered “just visiting, and how about you?” the other replied “I have decided finally to stay in Amman.”

“What about your house did you sell it or rent it?” asked Um Hussam. “Neither” answered the lady, “we left with barely the shirts on our backs, following a death threat.” Then with a sigh the lady asked “we haven’t met for such a long time, remember our weekly gatherings, God our lives have been turned upside down?” Um Hussam , responded idly “I only see people when I come to Amman , as for Baghdad I do not go out. Every once in a while I go to the doctor and that’s it or to see my sick mother.”

Meanwhile the singer was humming a “mewal” [a slow sad introduction of any typical Iraqi song.] In this song it said “Dearest motherland, good morning, Goodness motherland, reach out to everyone. When shall the smile return to your beautiful face? When shall sorrow abandon your sacred soil? I long to see you smile, just for a day. I long to see you released from grief I long to heal your wounds. Sunni, Shiite, Arab and Kurd embrace them all, under your wing. You’re their, mother and father. Motherland stand high no matter what”. Immediately the mood changed, tears filled eyes, low sobs were heard, cigarettes were lit, and deep sighs were released.

A young lady with a shivering voice said “There is a persisting lump in our throats named Baghdad, it’s in our hearts, we can not take it off our minds no matter how far we go or whatever the occasion is.”