Oasis Blog

Oasis is a lifestyle magazine-turned-blog that caters to the local and expat community in Maadi and the greater Cairo area. Not only does it act as a voice for CSA, a way for us to reach out and connect with our community, but it's a way for us to bring you the best guides, insights and stories about our beautiful country.

The magazine had a hugely successful run, but in order to achieve our mission of becoming more sustainable, it was time to go digital. So Oasis Magazine is now the Oasis Blog, brought to you every Thursday with new topics, tips and updates.

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A Look into Nubian Egypt

One of the world's oldest ethnic groups is said to be the Nubians. As a result, these people have a rich history and culture. One of the cradles of civilization, the middle Nile valley area is where the Nubians are thought to have originated. They were influential in ancient Egypt and later, in the Middle Ages, founded the kingdoms of Nobatia, Makuria, and Alodia. You may find Nubians in Egypt and Sudan. This vibrant town, which is tucked away along the banks of the Nile River, is well-known for its amazingly colored homes, vibrant culture, and kind hospitality. Having inhabited this area for thousands of years, the Nubian people have created a distinctive way of life that is closely linked to the environment.

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History of Egyptian Feminism 

In recent years, women's empowerment and the fight for equal rights for women in Egypt has reached an all-time high. Feminism isn’t a new concept in Egypt, since the beginning of Egyptian civilization, women have played crucial roles in making history. From iconic rulers like Pharaohs Hatchepsut, Cleopatra, and Sultana Shajaret El Dur, Egyptian history is known for its strong female rulers. In ancient Egypt, women were allowed to own and inherit property. They owned businesses and acted as their own attorneys in court. Women were also free to leave their possessions to anyone they pleased when they passed away.

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Zabbaleen Products: Turning Trash into Gold

Located in the heart of Cairo, the Zabbaleen City (Garbage City), is where trash is turned into gold. The Zabbaleen (Garbage People), who make their living by gathering and recycling waste, have developed their own industry and economy. These Zabbaleen are reputed to have one of the greatest recycling rates in the world. Approximately 80% of the items that arrive there are given new life. But to understand how garbage collection snowballed into such a huge industry, we have to first look at the city’s origins.

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Zar: A Captivating Egyptian Art Form

The Zar, an Egyptian cultural and ritual ceremony, is well-recorded for its wild dancing and enthralling music. Both foreigners and Egyptians find it to be a fascinating and enigmatic topic, however. Since ancient times, the zar has been a staple of Egyptian society. The ritual was all about warding off bad spirits and negative energies using dance and music.

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Discovering Coptic Egypt: The Monasteries

Egyptian monasteries have become very popular tourist destinations, and not just for people on religious tours. Churches and other buildings from the same era have frequently been renovated, yet many historic monasteries remain original owing to their natural desire to stay secluded. Even though pharaonic monuments are the main attractions in Egypt, there is a goldmine of history in Coptic monuments such as monasteries, where Coptic monks dwell and practice their religious traditions.

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Discovering Coptic Egypt: The Beginning

Established in the first century under the name of Jesus, the Coptic Orthodox Church of Egypt continues to proclaim the name of its Lord. "Coptic Church" refers to its ethnicity, while "Orthodox" refers to its beliefs. "Original Faith" is what the compound term "Orthodox" (Ortho Doxa) denotes. The Coptic Church was granted this designation as a result of its defense of the ancient dogma against several challenges throughout the ensuing centuries. Nowadays, Christians in Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt adhere to the Coptic Church's doctrine.

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The Egyptian Coptic Language

Not only is the ancient Egyptian language one of the first human languages known to exist, but it has surpassed other languages over its longer historical record. Its use as a spoken language declined in the Middle Ages as Arabic took its place, although it is still used in the Coptic Church's liturgy. Directly derived from the language of the pharaohs, Coptic is the latest evolution of the ancient Egyptian language. Originally written in hieroglyphs, the script also existed in hieratic, a cursive form, and later on, demotic, a distinct form.

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Why Muslims Still Use the Hijri Calendar

The Islamic Hijri calendar is used to determine important Islamic festivals and months, but for Muslims living in the modern world, the passing of days, months, and years is usually computed using the Western Gregorian calendar. For Muslims to properly traverse both their secular and spiritual lives, they must be aware of the names of months, days, and years in both Islamic and Gregorian scripts, as well as when they occur.

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The Islamic Hijri Calendar

The Hijri calendar is considered one of four major calendars currently in use worldwide. These four include the Miladi, Hijri, Chinese, and Persian calendars. The Hijri calendar is the official calendar of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The term "Hijira," which describes the journey of Prophet Muhammad in 622 AD from Makkah to Al Madina El Monawara, is used to describe the Hijri Year.

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Egyptian Zodiac Signs

Have you ever got carried away with zodiac signs and horoscopes? Well, what if we told you this was common in Egypt thousands of years ago? By the end of the fourth century, Egypt was first exposed to the zodiac system, which the Babylonians created in the Near East. The signs gained popularity among Egyptians in the Ptolemaic period when they carved their horoscopes on shattered pottery pieces called ostracons and used them to decorate their graves. Still, there are only three zodiacs in Egyptian temples, including the Esna zodiac.

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5 Animal Shelters in Egypt

In recent years, animal rights advocates have been compelled to take matters into their own hands. Their efforts have not gone ignored, whether they are forming online organizations, distributing and rescuing animals in need on their own, or advocating against dog breeding.

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Fatteh: Eid Al-Adha’s Main Dish

In Middle Eastern culture, fatteh has a long history; it seems to have originated in Egypt and then spread to the Levant. Throughout the area, there are several variations of this dish that may be made with or without tomato sauce, with sheep trotters added, or layered with little stuffed eggplant. However, the fundamental ingredient for fatteh is day-old flatbread that has been soaked in broth or yogurt.

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Discovering Maadi: Modern-Day Development

Maadi had an Indian summer in the years before the War of 1948, but many of its foreign residents, especially the British, were leaving, and prominent figures in Maadi society were passing on, including Faris Nimr Pasha, the founder of the Al-Muqattam newspaper, who was born in Syria, and Henriette Devonshire, who led tours of Islamic Cairo well into her eighties.

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Discovering Maadi: The Early Residents

Between 1907 and 1913, Delta Land Company sold 41 lots in Maadi to people with names like Angelo, de Cramer, Crawford, Whitman, MacDonald, Pilavachi, Bondi, Joanovitch, and Veloudakis. Even though the British were the majority of the early occupants of Maadi, this was not always the case. These were all "resident foreigners" in Egypt, frequently but not always Europeans, who were shielded from Egyptian law by a system of "capitulations" that brought them under the jurisdiction of the legal systems of their home nations.

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Discovering Maadi: The Origins

Maadi has a lengthy and intriguing past—far longer than one might think. Every step you take to learn more about its beginnings takes you further into a maze of pre-dynastic history, the emergence of modern Egypt, and the remarkably affluent and eccentric people who contributed to the creation of what came to be known as "the garden suburb." Maadi is still one of Cairo's most tranquil and well-kept neighborhoods today, a refuge for the city's multicultural expat population and a way to get away from the bustle of Egypt's capital.

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Ancient Egyptian Fragrances

For thousands of years, perfume has been valued as a luxury good, and ancient Egypt was no exception. Uses for perfumes were numerous. Perfume was once considered a luxury good for the gods due to its scarcity; in order to gain the gods' favor, fragrant powders were burned. Later, perfume entered the mainstream and was used by both sexes for its holy virtues, which included its healing benefits, body-purifying properties, and enticing qualities.

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Ancient Egyptian Jewels & Accessories

Just like people today, jewelry was a popular way for ancient Egyptians to decorate their bodies. An accessory is a simple addition to make your overall look pop more, and since most Egyptian attire was lightweight and simple due to the hot, dry climate, jewelry served as both a means of protection from evil spirits and a display of riches and rank for the ancient Egyptians. There were several functions for jewelry in ancient Egypt. Apart from the human predilection for attractive things, jewelry held religious and magical importance in ancient Egypt since it offered protection against evil – sounds familiar?

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Cosmetics in Ancient Egypt

As popular as makeup and cosmetics are today, it’s not a new phenomenon. Ancient Egyptians had great taste in clothing and cosmetics. They used to apply makeup in the most elegant ways you could imagine, and they had an incredible selection of cosmetics. For Egyptians, particularly in antiquity, one's appearance and clothes were very important. Everything, from makeup to attire, had to be as exquisite and lovely as possible. Everything, from makeup to attire, had to be as exquisite and lovely as possible.

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Music of Ancient Egypt

We all associate songs with specific memories or feelings. Music has played an integral part in the global community for centuries, from weddings to graduations to even your most vulnerable moments. We can guarantee that music has been your companion through all these feelings and memories. What you probably didn’t know, however, is that music dates back more than 2000 years ago and that our ancestors, the ancient Egyptians, also used music to commemorate big life events. But it didn’t sound quite like music now.

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Kunafa: A Favorite Ramadan Delicacy 

Ramadan celebrations have unique incarnations in Egypt. This holy month is seen by Egyptians as a refuge, a chance for introspection, and a means of being closer to God. Egyptians have been celebrating the holy month of Ramadan with distinct specialty delicacies for many decades. When the first few days of Ramadan arrive, Egyptians rush to the stores selling Kunafa. This delicacy is among this holy month's most significant customs and rituals. It grew to be an essential component of it, and even though generations in Egypt came and went throughout the millennia, it has remained a Ramadan staple.

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