Culture
Welcome to The Grapevine – a new monthly series from Pink Jinn where we pass the mic to artists, thought leaders, influencers and pioneers from across the Middle East, North Africa and the global diaspora. They’ll be sharing their top arts, culture and lifestyle picks with all of us – from the books and podcasts shaping the way they think, to the music, food, places and brands that bring magic to their everyday.
Our Founder, Laura Cretney, shares the story of Pink Jinn, from a tiny British island to the deserts of Oman.
This year has been anything but easy, but a host of stellar movie releases from the Middle East made 2022 a remarkable year for filmmaking across the region. We’re ending this year by looking back through these triumphs of cinema, so that you can start 2023 with a ready-made list of outstanding and poignant films to watch. Bear witness to the horrors of the Nakba with Farha, gain a sense of the struggles faced by artists and filmmakers working under Iranian censorship in Jafar Panahi’s No Bears, see life through the eyes of a Syrian family starting a new life in Belgium in My Paper Life, follow Yusra and Sara Mardini’s perilous journey to safety in The Swimmers, and feel true fear with Reem, a Palestinian woman whose life is plunged into disaster in Huda’s Salon.
Following in the footsteps of her mother, renowned tatreez artist Feryal Abbasi-Ghnaim, Wafa Ghnaim of Tatreez & Tea is on a mission to preserve and promote tatreez, proudly claiming this beautiful textile art form for Palestinians across the globe and encouraging new generations of embroiderers to practice this age-old art.
In the heart of Jebel Al-Weibdeh, Amman lies the Jordanian National Gallery of Fine Arts and its beautiful sculpture garden. A quiet haven in the middle of the bustling city, the park and the gallery play host to an ever-changing array of art from across the Middle East and beyond.
We’re taking a delicious trip across the Middle East and North Africa via a mouth-watering array of dishes and drinks. Middle Eastern and North African cuisine is hugely varied, drawing on the wealth of herbs and spices available in the region and age-old traditions from hundreds of different cultures. From mint tea and qahwa to delicious stews, succulent barbecued carp, and even snails with lavender, there are so many incredible flavours to discover and this list of food and drinks to try is just the beginning.
Wondering what you should read this summer? Look no further than our top picks of books by Middle Eastern and North African authors – a list of unforgettable reads that will keep you captivated whether you’ve got a packed summer of travel planned, or are looking forward to balmy evenings lounging with a book at home. From timeless love stories to unwind with, to compelling short stories that will keep you on the edge of your deck chair, your next perfect read will be on this list!
For 5000 years, frankincense has been coveted across the globe for its otherworldly fragrance and health and beauty benefits. This extraordinary resin has helped ancient empires to rise, graced churches and temples around the world, and been obsessed over by kings, queens and pharaohs.
This week, we’ve put together an introduction to the month of Ramadan, from key terminology to the festive treats that are served. If you’d like to learn more about Ramadan, here’s some of the most important aspects of the month to know about, and if you’re learning Arabic we’re sharing all the Ramadan vocabulary you’ll need!