Fall 2018 , Discoveries
Straws that Bind
By William B. Hafford Wed, Oct 10, 2018 SHARE ON: TwitterFacebook
What do ancient drinking straws say about communal ceremony and civilization?
“Kwayes?†Isma’ein says as he folds the woven tube and waves it in my direction. “Good. Very good.†Smoke billows from between his teeth, yellowed from tobacco. His weathered face radiates from genuine happiness and he chuckles as he taps the woven fold against my arm. It’s clear he wants me to take it and follow his lead in drawing smoke from the water pipe at the end of the snaking cloth tube. I nod, take the single fold out to its length and hesitate a moment. The others seated on the mats and leaning against the pillows in the mud brick hut stare expectantly, curiosity in their expressive features. It’s anticipation there, something about accepting convention, whether this ajnubi can accept local life. It’s a connection to tradition and to community. By joining in, I would be one step closer to them. I breathe in through the tube. The coals at the top of the nargileh glow brightly. Bubbles form in the jar below as smoke from the apple-flavored tobacco filters through the water. It’s almost as fascinating as the people around it.
https://popular-archaeology.com/article/straws-that-bind/
