Beyond being struck by the random tornado of Arabic words spiraling around street corners where vendors sell their kabob and falafel sandwiches or inside liquor stores in Harlem where Yemenis shout orders from behind glass protected counters to their indentured brethren, the presence of Arabic language and culture in the heart of al-tufahe al-kabirah shows up in some interesting places that bulldoze stereotypical boundaries:
The basmala, بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم , graffiti-ed on a wholesale truck driving through a midtown intersection.
Part II of the Arabic graffiti collection: A tagger by the name of “Samer” makes his presence be known on 5th avenue between 14th and 15th street.
The orientalist wholesalers at ABC carpet on Broadway in Union Square stock some “Spirit of Aleppo” saboon-appropriately dressed up in the colonial langue française packaging.
A favorite I know Kabob-ers love to see: “Israeli-style Iraqi” food. The inner folds of this menu to a Union Square, New School adjacent, establishment touts the glories of “Iraqi kebab beef.” I wonder if anyone reading this can explain exactly what makes “Iraqi kebab beef” Israeli???
While waiting for my train back at the Nassau Blvd stop in Long Island, I notice something peculiar etched school-desk-style markings on the blue border of the sign:
Part III of the graffiti collection: One by the name of Ayman apparently does something I was close to doing after waiting an hour for a train back to Penn Station. Yo Ayman, why do you make your “ya’s” look like alif-ya combos dude? work on your public etch-art man. You’re making all us Ay-rab Amreekan look bad!
[Tarboush Tip: Jillian]
Related posts:
- First Iraqi WMD Found — in New York!
- New York City protesters arrested
- Awkwardness in Arabic Class
- Awkwardness in Arabic Class IV
- Pioneer Of Modern Arabic Poetry Nazik Almalaika Passes Away
Isn’t the scratched graffito some dude called Ayman?
Posted by Anonymous | February 13, 2009, 5:36 pmthere would not be an alif-lam, and that would be: أيمن
Posted by Maytha | February 13, 2009, 6:51 pmThere is no “lam,” that does say Aymen. Someone’s name.
Posted by Pooky Love Shoes | February 13, 2009, 10:52 pmdamn pooky and anon, you’re right-the right tooth of that dimorphic “ya” looks like an alif-ya.
Posted by Maytha | February 13, 2009, 11:11 pm1)In my nephews (11&13 years) crowded public school (Va-USA) the kids (boys & girls) say WALAHI instead of (I swear to God) which the kids use often in their talk to each other
the Arabs are a tiny minority here !!
Posted by riskability | February 14, 2009, 1:40 amIraqi kebab can be Israeli, if an Iraqi-Jew that immigrated to Israel and then to the states makes it. I think it’s actually a progressive step, reminding Israelis of their true geo-culinary position (and a step of integrating as part of the geo-politics…?)
Posted by g. | February 14, 2009, 4:54 amI think it says “اليمن”, i.e Yemen.
Posted by as-Salam wa al-Hurriya | February 14, 2009, 6:36 amI think it’s actually a progressive step, reminding Israelis of their true geo-culinary position (and a step of integrating as part of the geo-politics…?)
Kebabs are not Arabic in origin. Maybe its a zionist plot to remind Arabs they got their asses handed to them by Mongols?
Posted by programmer craig | February 14, 2009, 7:56 amTime for me to come up with a joke about the name of this blog, I guess… back in a bit! Inshallah.
Posted by programmer craig | February 14, 2009, 7:58 amInshallah means “no chance in hell”, right?
Posted by programmer craig | February 14, 2009, 7:59 amYo, Peace and Freedom-
that’s what I thought initially. But upon closer inspection (as suggested by the previous posters), it looks more like “Ayman.” Alif-ya-meem-noon.
Posted by Maytha | February 14, 2009, 1:46 pmPC~
InshAllah your days are numbered.
InshAllah means “God willing”. Anytime you mention God regardless what language it is written, the FIRST letter is ALWAYS CAPITALIZED as it exemplifies your respect towards Him unless you’re an aetheist or Satan in human form. Judging from your comments on this blog and others, you are the latter obviously. Yes it is obvious that you have no respect towards God as you use the word “hell” synomously as God. How bold of you to do that. You don’t have to waste your time to respond to me. You will certainly answer to God. Go read your Bible instead of venting your prejudices on other’s blogs. Maybe you will finally get the peace to fill your empty soul.
Posted by Ashley | February 14, 2009, 2:07 pmInshAllah your days are numbered.
Somebody who wishes me dead lectures me about faith, eh? lol.
InshAllah means “God willing”.
No it doesn’t, I just checked. It means “I’m not really going to do that, but I’m too polite to say so”.
Anytime you mention God regardless what language it is written, the FIRST letter is ALWAYS CAPITALIZED
That is incorrect. People only capitalize the word for God when they are talking about their own God, not when they are talking about somebody else’s. And while the claim is often made that practitioners of Judaism, Christianity and Islam all worship the same God, it seems open to question as far as I can see. Suicide bombers get an express ticket to hell in my religion, for instance. yet, the vast majority of Muslims call them “martyrs”. tell me how we can have the same God, Ashley?
as it exemplifies your respect towards Him unless you’re an aetheist or Satan in human form.
And what type of person are you? Did you not just wish death upon me, with an invocation to God to make it happen? Is your God, one worthy of my respect?
Judging from your comments on this blog and others, you are the latter obviously.
A Satan worshiper? Really? Should we get into Christian scripture and the behavior of Muslims, and try to determine whose beliefs come closer to Satan worship, Ashley? Because, I would be TOTALLY into that. Sign me up!
Yes it is obvious that you have no respect towards God as you use the word “hell” synomously as God. How bold of you to do that. You don’t have to waste your time to respond to me. You will certainly answer to God. Go read your Bible instead of venting your prejudices on other’s blogs. Maybe you will finally get the peace to fill your empty soul.
Aren’t you a hateful little thing? Which God is it that advocates hatred, Ashley?
Posted by programmer craig | February 14, 2009, 3:42 pmJudging from your comments on this blog and others…
What other blogs do you mean, by the way? Just curious.
Next question… since Muslims (and people named Ashley) behave in a way that is about as close to 180 degrees different from what Jesus taught, how can you believe that Christians and Muslims worship the same God? Does it make sense to you? That behavior which is damned in no uncertain terms in one religion is considered worthy of great reward in the other, and both worship the same deity?
Go read your Bible…
Perhaps you should read MY Bible, before lecturing me about MY faith? I assume due to your name, and your seemingly hate filled existence that you converted to Islam because you felt that Christianity wasn’t a good fit for somebody like you?
I wholeheartedly support you in that decision, by the way.
Posted by programmer craig | February 14, 2009, 4:03 pmPlease dont feed the trolls….
Posted by Arayus | February 15, 2009, 12:18 amAre you kidding? This is a blog of, by and for trolls. What would people like you and “Ashley” do if nobody responded to you, Arayus? And notice how “Ashley” is too chickenshit to take up the topic she started, now that she’s gotten some return fire?
Posted by programmer craig | February 15, 2009, 7:26 am2) Israeli Kabab?!
Last year a Lebaneese chef sue the "state" of Israel for using Humos & Tabula (available at the deli in every grocery store in USA) in one of it's tour guides, he made a very strong argument for his case, that was the News (the court outcome we don't know; the News stop there)
During the Israeli Genocide on Gaza ; I notice a significant number of every day people at the street, in the restaurant & at the shopping centers wearing the Kofia around their necks .. also a significant number of the Israeli "propaganda" web sites use (the use of the Kofia lines by the Israeli designers in their latest line of fashion) in a try to put a pretty spin on the Ugly face of the Israeli act
At the same time I notice Hamas leaders wearing the Kofia as an upside down U in their Media appearances; that was a poor choice
Searching for the complete Arabic Dabkah song that appear partially in a Kurdish video covering the Pilgrimage to Lalesh; I notice the vast majority of the Arab kids born & grow up in USA & Europe (especially the Palstinians; although they don't have the best Dabkah "Palstinians Vs the Arabs") gather to form a Dabkah band in the Heritage day at school
It's a strong authentic representation of a geopolitical historical cultural identity that integrate with the region reaching Greece , Spain , Turkey & beyond
Israel also form a Dabkah band from the second class citizens of the "state" The Million & so Palstinian Arabs ?!
Posted by riskability | February 15, 2009, 11:27 amHow do you say juggle zionuts in my mouth in arabic? I’d really like to know. Thanks, PC.
Posted by programmer craig | February 15, 2009, 5:42 pmYasser, enough with your dribble about Zionist balls. Seriously, we know you love Jewish balls and are obsessed with getting it up your ass by Zionists. Why must we keep reading it over and over again?
Posted by Anonymous | February 15, 2009, 7:51 pm“”the FIRST letter is ALWAYS CAPITALIZED as it exemplifies your respect towards Him unless you’re an aetheist or Satan in human form.”"
Fucking god-believing douchebags.
Posted by Joe | February 16, 2009, 5:16 pmSamer is a graffiti writer named Same. Just added an R.
Boycott all zionist falafel shops in nyc.
in other sad news.. i saw the guys in mahmouns refilling the homous the other day. the pouring it from had…. hebrew … on it.
im just saying….
Posted by chrls | February 18, 2009, 1:15 amwait chris, can you further elaborate on graffiti artist Same?
Posted by Maytha | February 18, 2009, 12:53 pmnot much elaborate on, hes a graffiti writer from NYC, semi famous in that world, has been around for a while. its common for writers to ad an "r" or "er" on the end of their tags, making something like "rate" into "rater" , or whatever.
Posted by chrls | February 18, 2009, 6:30 pmThis is a great page. Have you got a different blog post regarding ABC Carpet?
Posted by Abc Carpet | December 11, 2010, 10:22 am