Gergean

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Albuloushi

Mohammad Albuloushi

May 15, 2013

Mr. Pelle

English 101-84

Gergean

Introduction

Gergean is a traditional festival that has its roots in many Gulf countries. It is an opportunity for parents to show how proud they are of their children for fasting during the holy month of Ramadan. Children usually dress in traditional clothes and go around the neighborhood in groups holding small bags and singing special songs. Gergean is held on the 13th, 14th or the 15th of Ramadan when the moon is full. This celebration is like the Arab version of Halloween, but without the scary part. Children go from one house to another and knock on neighbors’ doors asking for candy and nuts. It is like a holiday made especially for children to help them through their fast and encourage them to fast every year.

Ramadan is a time for all Muslims globally to call upon God and re-evaluate their lives as apart of the Islamic guidelines. This is a time to make peace with those who have wronged Muslim individuals, a time to strengthen family and friendship bonds as well as get rid of bad habits (Elsheshtawy, 34) . Fasting during the month of Ramadan is not just physically fasting but rather the complete and full commitment of one’s body and soul to the spirit of the fast (Peterson, 50) .

Discussion

Majority of the Arab nations celebrate Ramadan. However, each has another way of celebrating the end of the Ramadan. In Kuwait, a special celebration referred to as Gergean is usually held when the moon is full during Ramadan. It is considered to be a traditional festival having its roots in majority of Gulf nations (Kurtass, 62) . During this particular festival, parents are given the chance to exhibit their pride in their children for having fasted during the holy month of Ramadan (Elsheshtawy, 35) . As mentioned earlier, Ramadan is a time when all Muslims, young and old, are called upon to fast completely during daylight hours. Those exempted from the fast are the elderly, pregnant women, women experiencing their monthly cycles at that time, the sick and infants. Children above the age of 12 years are allowed to fast if they are in perfect health (Peterson, 55) .

The Process of Gergean

Gergean is the Western version of Halloween or trick or treating. This particular festival or celebration is held every 13th, 14th or the 15th of Ramadan (Peterson, 56)3. At the time of the festival, children are dressed up in traditional clothes and go around the neighborhood in small groups while holding bags and singing special songs (Elsheshtawy, 36)2. The only part that misses in this Halloween-like tradition is the scary part of it. Children usually ask for chocolate and candy. This is a time which majority of the children look forward to at the end of the Ramadan as they get the opportunity to run around the neighborhood, play games with each other while knocking on other people’s doors. It is also a time when children get to socialize with others and make new friends. They also tend to show off their candies and chocolates they have collected from their neighborhood (Kurtass, 64) .

Why it is Different than it was in the Past

Gergean is considered to be a tradition that is celebrated by older generations who are also passing it to the next generations. Even though it is a tradition event that everyone looks forward to at the end of Ramadan and during the full moon, no one really knows of its origin. When asked, majority of Kuwaitis say that they found the tradition already in practice (Elsheshtawy, 37) . It has, however, been observed that the manner in which Gergean is celebrated in the 21st Century is not the same as the way it was celebrated in the past. This can be attributed to the fact that car accidents and some violence in the neighborhoods has been increased, and most parents tend to feel that it is no longer safe for their young ones to run around the neighborhood, knocking on other people’s doors. In the recent years, there were a lot of car accidents, which ends with an injury or death of many young children that were celebrating Gergean in the neighborhoods. In short, parents are scared for their children, and they are today very protective over their safety. What has now become the order of the day during Gergean celebrations is that families visit their families where children come together and have a lot of fun (Kurtass, 66)1. Since they are together with their families, these children have the privilege of staying up late and eating as much candy as one desires.

Where it is Celebrated

Gergean is a tradition that has originated from Kuwait and spread to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Elsheshtawy, 38) . Those Saudi Arabians who have the privilege of going to Kuwait for business tend to spend a number of years in the country. While there, they tend to pick on a few traditions, one of them being the Gergean tradition, which they later bring back to Saudi Arabia. This particular tradition is then spread among one’s family and neighborhood (Peterson, 58) . It should be remembered that children do not necessarily fast every day of the Ramadan month, but rather for as long as they can. They can fast for as much as they can handle of the days of the Ramadan month and break their fast afterwards. Gergean celebrations is a way of rewarding children for having fasted for that long, even if they did not complete the days required for a complete Ramadan fast, which is 30 days (Kurtass, 68) . This is an important time for children to learn how to be obedient and faithful as per the Islamic guidelines. Gergean celebrations encourage children to fast in the course of the next Ramadan month in order to get more candies and gifts as a reward for their efforts (Elsheshtawy, 39).

The History of Gergean

Some people claim that the festival Gergean was originated when the grandson of the prophet Mohammad (PBUH) was born. Hassan, the prophet’s grandson, was born in the middle of the holy month of Ramadan. People went to visit the prophet’s home to congratulate him on the birth of his grandson. The prophet’s daughter, Fatima, started giving her relatives and people around her some colored candy in the 15th of Ramadan. Thus, people began this tradition since that day and many people still have this tradition, which occurs in the middle of Ramadan.

Works Cited

Elsheshtawy, Yasser. The Evolving Arab City: Tradition, Modernity and Urban Development. London: Routledge. 2008. Print.

Kurtass, Muthanna Al. Mecca and the Baron, Faith and Me. USA: AuthorHourse. 2009. Print.

Peterson, Carol. Around the world through holidays: Cross curricular readers theatre. Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited. 2006. Print.

�Elsheshtawy, Yasser. The Evolving Arab City: Tradition, Modernity and Urban Development.

London: Routledge. 2008. Print

� Peterson, Carol. Around the world through holidays: Cross curricular readers theatre.

Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited. 2006. Print

1 Kurtass, Muthanna Al. Mecca and the Baron, Faith and Me. USA: AuthorHourse. 2009. Print.

2 Elsheshtawy, Yasser. The Evolving Arab City: Tradition, Modernity and Urban Development.

London: Routledge. 2008. Print

3 Peterson, Carol. Around the world through holidays: Cross curricular readers theatre.

Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited. 2006. Print

� Kurtass, Muthanna Al. Mecca and the Baron, Faith and Me. USA: AuthorHourse. 2009. Print.

� Elsheshtawy, Yasser. The Evolving Arab City: Tradition, Modernity and Urban Development.

London: Routledge. 2008. Print

� Elsheshtawy, Yasser. The Evolving Arab City: Tradition, Modernity and Urban Development.

London: Routledge. 2008. Print.

� Peterson, Carol. Around the world through holidays: Cross curricular readers theatre.

Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited. 2006. Print

� Kurtass, Muthanna Al. Mecca and the Baron, Faith and Me. USA: AuthorHourse. 2009. Print.

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