6/27/24, 7:44 AM Yemen -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia
Yemen
Cultural life
Yemen is a part of the Islamic world and as such reflects many of the contemporary trends in Islam. Most
Yemenis are Muslim and are tolerant of non-Muslims as well as of the various branches of Islam. While proud of
their Islamic heritage, Yemenis are also intensely proud of their pre-Islamic history, including that of the Saba'
and klacIramawt kingdoms. In their extensive networks of overland and maritime trade, the ancient Yemenis
encountered myriad cultures and civilizations. There is ample evidence of Greek, Roman, Indian, Indonesian, and
Chinese influence on various aspects of both traditional and contemporary Yemeni culture.
Daily life and social customs
Yemen shares in many of the customs and lifeways that are found in other parts of the Arab world. Culture is
intensely patriarchal, and households usually consist of an extended family living in a single domicile or family
compound. The head of the family is the eldest male, who makes all significant decisions for the family and its
members. Women play a secondary role in running the household and raising the children and, in rural areas,
helping to work the family farm. Though nearly one-fourth of Yemeni women obtain work outside the home, a
woman traditionally earns most of her social status through bearing children, particularly males. The birth of a
male child is considered one of the most important social events in Yemeni society and is followed almost
immediately by a circumcision ceremony. Though prohibited by law in 2001, female genital cutting still occurs,
taking place primarily in private and varying significantly by region.
Marriages are almost always arranged and frequently are undertaken at a young age. Although the opinion of a
potential bride or groom might be solicited on the issue, the final decision on marriage belongs with the head of
the household. As in many parts of the Islamic world, endogamy (the practice of marrying someone from within
one's own kin group) is common, the preferred marriage being with a paternal first cousin of the opposite gender.
The practice of mahr (bride-price, given by the father of the groom) is a usual part of the marriage ceremony.
Divorce is not common, but neither is there a stigma attached to it. Men may have as many as four wives at the
same time, though in practice it is rare for a man to take more than one wife.
Yemeni society is tribally based, and trust and assurance most often are measured by degree of consanguinity.
Families are very close and are the focus of the individual's primary devotion; one's second allegiance is to the
tribe, an extended family unit that ordinarily traces its ties to a common eponymous ancestor. In rural Yemen,
state authority is weak, and disputes between tribes are frequently solved through violence. The art of the feud is
still quite real, and, as a consequence, Yemen is a gun culture. Virtually every household has at least one weapon,
and men and boys often carry firearms in public. Even when not carrying a pistol or a rifle, most Yemeni males—
particularly those belonging to a rural tribe—will carry a dagger, the traditional janbiyyah (or jambiyyah), a short,
broad, curved blade sheathed on a belt worn across the abdomen and serving as a signal of one's status within
social and tribal hierarchies.
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6/27/24, 7:44 AM Yemen -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia
The traditional nature of Yemeni society is reflected in choices of attire, though the native dress of Yemen differs
somewhat from that found in other conservative parts of the Arabian Peninsula. Men sometimes wear the full-
length, loose-fitting thawb—frequently with a jacket over it—but more often the traditional fatah, a saronglike
wraparound kilt, is worn with a shirt. The turban is a common type of head covering, and a finely woven bamboo
hat (shaped somewhat like a fez) called a kofiya (or kofia) is a more formal choice of headgear. There are various
forms of dress for women, depending on the social role a woman plays and where she lives. In North Yemen,
women in cities and towns wore the sharsaf, a black skirt, scarf, and veil ensemble that covers the entire body. In
South Yemen, the regime that succeeded the British after 1967 vigorously opposed this women's dress code, and
this opposition prevailed especially in the towns and cities. In the countryside, clothing for women tends to be
somewhat more utilitarian and may consist of a dress or robe that provides for a greater range of movement and
under which, in some parts of Yemen, it is not uncommon for a woman to wear a pair of loose slacks known as a
sirwal. Also in the countryside, a woman's face may or may not be covered, and dresses are sometimes sewn
from brightly coloured fabric. Working women frequently wear a broad-brimmed straw hat (dhola) to ward off
the sun.
Traditional Yemeni cuisine is broadly similar to that found in other areas of the Arabian Peninsula, but it is also
heavily influenced by the cuisine of eastern Africa and South Asia. The major meats are chicken, mutton, and
goat. Other staples include potatoes, onions, and tomatoes. There are several types of bread; unleavened flat bread
is typical. A popular dish in Yemen is saltah, a stew of lamb or chicken that is heavily spiced with fenugreek and
other herbs. Tea is a common drink, and coffee is very popular. Alcoholic beverages are considered culturally and
religiously inappropriate, though they are available.
Unquestionably the most important and distinctive social institution and form of recreation in Yemen is the khat
party, or khat "chew." This is especially true in the northern part of the country, but, since the slight increase in
general prosperity in the 1970s, the use of khat has spread to virtually all levels of Yemeni society. At least half of
all men, and a smaller number of women, attend khat chews (which usually are segregated by gender) with some
regularity, and many do so on a daily basis. Khat chews usually begin in the early afternoon after the main meal
of the day, and they often go on until the early evening. Much gets done at these pleasurable sessions: gossip is
exchanged, serious matters are discussed and debated, political and business decisions are made, business is
transacted, disputes and grievances are settled, Yemeni history and lore are passed on, and music and poetry are
played and recited.
Yemenis celebrate the traditional Islamic holidays, including Eid al-Adha (marking the culmination of the hajj
rites near Mecca) and Eid al-Fitr (marking the end of Ramadan), as well as the Prophet Muhammad's birthday.
Shi cis observe (Ashara' (commemorating the death of al-Husayn ibn Ali, the Prophet's grandson). The Day of
National Unity is May 22, the day on which, in 1990, North Yemen and South Yemen were officially united. A
number of other civil and religious holidays also are observed.
The arts
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6/27/24, 7:44 AM Yemen -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia
No doubt the best-known artifact of Yemeni culture is its domestic
architecture, which dates back more than 2,000 years. In the
mountainous interior, buildings are constructed of stone blocks and
bricks, both baked and sun-dried; these buildings, housing extended
families, rise to four to six stories, with highly decorated windows
and other features designed to beautify them and emphasize their
height. On the edge of the desert and in other regions where stone
A woman walking by traditional for construction is not abundant, multistoried houses are usually
Yemeni houses in Sanaa, Yemen. made of mud brick, with the various layers emphasized and often
tinted; these structures have curving, sensuous lines. The city of Sanaa
and the towns of Zabid and Shibam are noted for their architecture, and each has been listed as a UNESCO World
Heritage site.
The most widespread and traditional cultural outlet is oral, in the form of proverbs, popular stories, and poetry;
poems that deal with timeless themes such as love and death as well as with Yemeni history, biography, and Islamic
themes and traditions are particularly prevalent. Yemen is an integral part of contemporary Arab trends in literature,
political essays, and scholarly writing; Yemeni poets, past and present, are among the most esteemed in the Arab
world. Among these are the great 10th-century poet and historian al-Hamdani and such modern writers as novelist
Zayd Mutic Dammaj, poet and political chronicler `Abd Allah al-Baraddani, and the prolific poet `Abd al-Aziz al-
Maqalik Similarly, the songs and singers of Yemen are highly respected, and some Yemeni instruments (such as the
lutelike qanbus, or turbi, now largely replaced by the Cud) and genres (such as al ghinc7' al san 'ant, or Sanaani
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song) are quite unique.
Dances, performed with or without musical accompaniment, are a feature of weddings and other social occasions;
these are performed by men and women separately. The male dances are often performed with the janbiyyah dagger.
Cultural institutions
The General Organization of Antiquities and Museums administers the major cultural institutions. Most institutions are
located in the larger cities. The national museum in Sanaa and the archaeological museum in Aden house important
treasures from the pre-Islamic period. The Military Museum is located in Sanaa. There are also military and folk
museums in Aden.
Sports and recreation
Organized sports fall under the auspices of the Ministry of Youth and Sports. North Yemen first appeared in Summer
Olympic competition in 1984 and South Yemen in 1988; the unified country has sent teams to the Summer Games
since 1992. Two Yemeni boxers living abroad enjoyed great success: Naseem Hamed, a British boxer of Yemeni
ancestry, held the world featherweight title during the late 1990s and early 21st century; and Isra
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Girgrah, a female boxer born in Yemen and fighting out of the United States, held several lightweight belts during
that same period.
Media and publishing
Through its control of the media, education, and trade, the socialist government of the south severely restricted
the participation of its population in both regional and global cultural trends during its most ascetic period,
extending from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s. The northern government correspondingly exercised certain
restrictions in order to protect itself from the influence of the socialist south and from other challenges to the
reigning political and cultural norms. In both Yemens, newspapers and magazines were closely censored, and
radio and television were monopolized by the state.
These conditions changed drastically with the merger in 1990. Since that time, more than 85 newspapers and
journals—representing divergent points of view and a wide range of political, social, economic, and cultural
organizations—have come into being. The national television and radio networks, although still operated by the
government, are less strictly controlled than before unification.
Citation Information Article Title:
Yemen Website Name: Encyclopaedia
Britannica
Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published: 07 May 2024
URL: https ://www.britannica.comhttps://www.britannica.com/place/Yemen
Access Date: June 26, 2024
