Fierce...Flawless...

21 notes

Many signs drew on very Egyptian cultural references: popular epigrams like ya bakht man zar wa khaffaf (lucky is he who does not outstay his welcome)—very to the point considering that Mubarak ruled for thirty years. Also, people were walking around Tahriri Square holding qollal (clay jugs). In popular Eygptian culture, breaking a qolla after an unwelcome guest ensures they will not be back. One man took this a step further and was holding a zeer (a large clay vessel used for cooling water). Everyone who saw him just cracked up laughing and got his point right away.

Many signs referred to songs—I saw at least two signs quoting Um Kulthum, like this line from her classic Lessa Faker (Do you still think?): “Do you still think my heart can trust you or that a word can bring back what once was.”. Signs reverred to all sorts of puns, rhymes, and chants too, like Mish hanemshi, howwa yemshi (We won’t go, he goes). Countless signs were hilariously funny, reflecting Egyptians’ irrepressible sense of humor: “Hurry up, I’ve got exams!”; “Come on, my arm is aching!”; “Hurry up! I’ve only been married twenty days, and I miss my wife!” And after a week with no reaction whatsoever from the presidency, one of my personal favorites was: “Mr. President, a whole week and not even a phone call?”