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The hookah has a long and storied history. Also known variously as a hubble-bubble, narghile, shisha, or water pipe, amongst other names, hookahs have been used for a mellow tobacco smoking experience in Asia and the Middle East for centuries. Coming to the Center East from India, the hookah started out as a humble coconut shell. In Turkey, it evolved into the true hookah, becoming a mainstay of coffee house life throughout the seventeenth century. Hookah smoking is still very common in cafes and restaurants throughout the Middle East.

Many rituals, of preparation, lighting, and smoking etiquette, surround the usage of the hookah. Individuals gathered within the coffee houses to smoke together, exchanging news and stories–or just sharing quiet, meditative time. Recalling a more relaxed and unhurried past, hookahs conjure tales of journeys along the Nile, long nights in exotically scented gardens, the spice of the bazaar, and the sinuous music of the belly dance.

Hookahs had been smoked by girls gathered for tea, by students engaging in intellectual dialogue, men playing games of probability, and simple gatherings of friends for enjoyment and relaxation. Providing a visitor a puff at the house hookah, or narghile, was a sign of welcome and hospitality. Moderately than a habit of nervousness, as many would possibly classify the cigarette, the hookah is an entry to tranquility and reflection. It’s a connection to the past and an oasis of civilized fellowship in the frenetic present.

With such a long history, it’s not shocking that the craftsmanship in a hookah approaches the level of artwork; most hookahs are exquisitely detailed and beautiful. At one time, every part of the hookah was produced by a craftsman specifically trained to produce just that piece. Materials used included silver, crystal, and amber. If you add within the centuries of tradition and ritual in which the hookah is steeped, it’s straightforward to see that this historic water pipe represents the nexus of a singular and luxuriant experience in smoke and social interaction–and why it’s changing into so common within the West.

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