GROSSMONT COLLEGE — Each country has its customs and traditions, with characteristics different from other countries. Iraqis, like any people, have their own traditions, and the majority of them follow these traditions, which they have passed from one generation to another. There are some traditions that I like in my culture, such as Mehebis, Zakaria day, and new neighbor welcoming.

The first tradition is a game called Mehebis. We usually play this game on Ramadan nights after we finish our fast. The game includes two teams who sit on opposite sides; one person from the first team puts a ring in the hand of another person from his team and the second team has to guess where the ring is. If the second one makes the right guess, the ring is passed to that person and that team scores a point. The team that makes more scores is the winner. After the end of the game, the losing team offers a sweet like Baklava to the winning team. I like this tradition because the bonds between the family members become stronger, and we have spent a good time when we have made jokes while playing.

The second tradition that I like is Zakaria day. We celebrate it on the first Sunday in the Arabic month of Shaaban. We remember the Prophet Zakaria when he asked God to bless him with a son. Although his wife and he were elderly, God gave him the Prophet Yahya. On this day, we fast and ask God for what we want; we make a special tray for this day including candles, candies, nuts, and a kind of plant called Yas, and we buy an instrument that looks like a drum for the kids. We finish our fast with special food like Dolma and a kind of sweet that is made from rice called Zarda. I like this tradition because I feel that I become closer to God and get His blessing, and the kids like the special tray because they can eat the candy.

The final tradition is welcoming new neighbors. When they arrive in the neighborhood, we welcome them. We tell them that the next day we will bring them lunch, and they don’t have to make lunch. This tradition shows the new neighbors that we are friendly, and we can help them if they need it; thus, we can begin a good friendship with them and a good relationship.

These traditions make me happy, and I’m glad that I have them because they are my country’s customs. I will continue doing them, and I will teach them to my kids and to their kids. So, we will continue passing them from generation to generation.

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Haddad is a student in ESL (English as a Second Language) 103