Spring 1996
JOURNAL

Misr um al-dunya: Cairo, Mother of the World

REFLECTIONS ON EGYPT'S MYTHICAL CAPITAL, A COMBINATION OF THE ANCIENT AND THE MODERN
by Charu Chandrasekhar

Egypt is renowned as one of the world's most intriguing and fascinating places. The word "Egypt" evokes a plethora of mysterious and romantic images which attempt to define different dimensions of this complex land. The typical characterization of the country consists of dreamy visions of awe-inspiring pyramids and desert sunsets coupled with stark, looming shadows of armed forces hovering in the Sinai Peninsula.

On a recent visit to Egypt, I experienced the complex reality behind the timeless legends and myths. My trip introduced me to Egypt, a nation neither North African nor Middle Eastern but one that straddles these two different worlds. Although I traveled the entire length of the nation, its capital, Cairo, best encapsulates the different elements of Egypt.

Cairo is Africa's largest city and as multidimensional and complex as the continent. As the site of confluence of several divergent historical forces, Cairo holds a uniquely important position in world history. The individuality of each of the city's different areas - of which there are many - testifies to the tremendous variety of influences that have shaped the city. Cairo's vast Muslim quarter, aptly renowned for its architectural grandeur, reflects Islam's important role in Egyptian life and history. The intricate detail and ornamentation of the mosques completely transfixed me - it was impossible to stop savoring the rich, ornate designs that covered the walls and ceilings of the several mosques that I visited. Furthermore, it is evident that Islam, the principal religion of the Middle East, pervades daily Cairene life on many levels. While Cairo is instantly recognized for its towering mosques, smaller and simpler mosques grace countless street corners. Having spent most of my winter vacations in the western world, I was taken aback (and annoyed with the eurocentrism revealed by my surprise) that life continued without interruption on Christmas Day. As is true in other Middle Eastern countries, Cairene life seamlessly incorporates the five daily prayers that slam ordains: calls to prayer resonate from minarets throughout the city at times of prayer.

The flavor and spirit of western colonialism continue to infuse Cairo. Although Napoleon was in Egypt for less than five years at the turn of the eighteenth century, the remnants of western expansion that he introduced continue to linger in Egypt in varied ways. Not only does Cairo's varied architecture embody elements of western design, but most native Cairenese speak French in addition to English and Arabic. Cairo's cultural life and institutions consist of a distinct blend of colonial European, northern Africa, and Middle Eastern influences. Cairo epitomizes the colonial notion of the "orient," which refers not to the current-day conception of the Far East, but to the non-western European targets of nineteenth century European imperialist expansion. The tourist marketing and promotion of the renowned Khan el Khalili souk instantly conjures up stereotypical images of colonial Africa. Tourists swarm to the outdoor bazaar eager to inhale and imbibe the heady, intoxicating combination of spices, color, and mystery associated with the bazaar; such a view, in turn, reflects the standard, reductive, exoticized western interpretation of the non-western world.

Finally, Cairo is a fascinating study of the implications and problems of development. Cairo and Egypt undoubtedly constitute a modern Middle Eastern state: ancient minarets overlook glamorous, high-rise office buildings, while businessmen sporting keffiyehs (the checkered traditional Arab male headdress, which gained fame in the Western world by Yasser Arafat) conduct multinational financial transactions. Egypt's primary current sociological problem is a tremendous population explosion, which Cairo's current troubled condition accurately reflects. Its own population has increased five-fold within the past generation, creating a terrible strain on the city's resources and infrastructure. I discovered that Cairo is accurately infamous for its traffic congestion; masses of people and vehicles continually clog the streets throughout the day. The standard use of leaded gasoline, combined with other pollutants, casts a permanent gray-brown pall over the entire city. A description of Cairo as a typical "exploding city of the developing world" accurately characterizes the troubled dimensions of the city.

Egypt's tremendous historical significance combined with its current political importance accords it a pivotal role in modern world history. An examination of Cairo illustrates the country's multi-layered complexity. The names of Cairo's streets evoke the regional wars of the 1960s and the 1970s, while Cairo's sites and scenes reflect the impact of hundreds of years of historical change and upheaval. While Egypt is a gateway to both North Africa and the Middle East, Cairo is the point of entry to a country and an entire region of the world.

Ms. Chandrasekhar, SY'98, is an EP&E major at Yale College.