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Domestic Customs Among Muslim Women In The Greater New Orleans Area By Denese Neu Islam And The Muslim Population Of Southeast Louisiana
Just beyond the geographic boundaries of New Orleans, in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana's most diverse parish, is a suburban area with a large concentration of Muslim immigrant residents. This community is served by the mosque Masjid Abu-Bakr Al-Siddiq, which sits at the corner of Power Drive and Esplanade Avenue in Metairie. It is the only one in the New Orleans area built specifically as a mosque. The building possesses a geodesic dome and single minaret, yet the crescent moon which is an internationally-recognized symbol of the faith of Islam is notably absent within the architecture. As one pulls into the mosque's driveway, the gate topped by the ubiquitous fleur-de-lis is notable. Omar Suleiman, the Imam (spiritual leader), explains that the gates were added for protection after the mosque was vandalized several times following the September 11th attacks. This symbol and statement lay the framework for learning about this new group of area residents and how they continue the traditions of their native countries while living in the New Orleans area. This mosque serves as both the spiritual and cultural center for approximately 300 families from a variety of countries. The membership makes it the largest mosque in Louisiana. Most mosques, in areas with large Muslim communities, are built around a Muslim community from a particular place of origin. Because Louisiana's Muslim communities are relatively small, each mosque serves worshippers who come from a variety of places. In addition to describing the community demographics, the Imam explains that there is a "communication catastrophe between the older generation and the younger generation" regarding the community's struggle to reconcile the old traditions and cultures with the elements of American lifestyle adopted by younger members. For example, he explains that it isn't uncommon for some men to arrive at the mosque wearing New Orleans Saints jerseys. For the women who arrive wearing American-style clothing, coverings are provided. According to the Imam, it is primarily women who serve as the cultural bearers by organizing events and teaching folk traditions to the children.
Islam And The Muslim Population Of Southeast Louisiana In order to learn about the cultural traditions of immigrant Muslims, one must be respectful of the additional challenges presented by the September 11th terrorist attacks. Within the Muslim community, the social response to these attacks was to become more protective, private, and insular. The people who chose to participate in this project all shared stories of investigations, verbal abuse, frustrating accusations aimed at their community, and the desire to be able to freely practice their traditions and religion. They overcame initial responses of mistrust and fear in order to share their own experiences of Muslim tradition with others. Amal Bensrieti, a political refugee from Libya, spent a great deal of time explaining what is like to live as a Muslim in the United States. "I'm really glad that someone is taking an interest in us. We are always negative topics." The story of the transnational Muslim community is multi-faceted and rich in folk artistry that is colorful and beautiful. Beyond the food from popular Middle Eastern restaurants, Muslim cultures and customs are largely unknown to the non-Muslim residents of southeast Louisiana. Many of these new residents came to Louisiana for reasons similar to those of other New Orleanians from around the globe and New Orleanians who migrated elsewhere. They lost their homes and livelihood as a result of tragic circumstances beyond their control. Today they are learning to navigate the United States' modern, ever-shifting culture while struggling to maintain the familiar customs, traditional religious practices, and value systems of their native homelands. The Imam explained that "an Islamic culture" does not exist. Islam is a way of life; therefore, the traditions of Islam and the country or region of the world are interconnected but vary as they blend with traditions of the various countries in which Islam is practiced. He also explained that Islam includes practices that can be considered cultural art forms. These include archery, religious ceremonies, Arabic calligraphy, and traditions of the spoken word such as chanting and poetry reading. Enriching these traditions are the cultures of the native countries of the immigrant Muslim community. Two examples are belly dancing and the dances of the Whirling Dervishes. Muslim women do not entertain publicly, but non-Muslim dance studios teach some of the dances and non-Muslim entertainers perform them for public audiences. Some Muslim women learn belly dancing in their native country and perform privately in the home or at all-female celebrations. Though many Westerners believe the "Whirling Dervishes" to be Muslim, this dance is a tradition only in Turkey and springs from Sufi, an expression of Islam. Some participants in this project converted to Islam upon marriage and some are American-born citizens. Because of the need to protect their community, these women volunteered to serve as guides to understanding the culture and issues of the immigrant population. One woman, born and raised in Illinois, converted to Islam to marry an Iraqi man. The daughter, Sara Al-Dahir, lived in Iraq until the age of four and grew up in the United States when the family had to leave for personal safety reasons. She describes her American home as Iraqi; because her father intended to return, he never adopted American ways. Another woman, Jenny Yanez, is a Spanish immigrant whose parents hail from Spain and Cuba. The family converted to Islam and they have adapted their Spanish traditions to accommodate their Islamic way of life. These three women are members of Masjid Abu-Bakr Al-Siddiq and were asked by the Imam to assist this interview project. They provided the cultural, political, and religious background that will allow interested outsiders to better understand the nuances of the community. Additionally, they explained that marriage to a Muslim is allowed for outsiders but requires conversion to the religion. As a result, the folk traditions of the native Muslim's country might be stronger in the household than the traditions of the American-born spouse convert. Louisiana's natural resources were a draw for Muslim immigrants. During the 1960s and 1970s, Louisiana attracted engineers because of the oil industry. Area universities actively recruited overseas and many Middle Eastern governments paid to educate their citizens in the United States, with the goal that they return home. Some Muslims arrived as transient students, and others came as professionals and chose to stay. As professionals established themselves in the area, they also opened businesses such as stores, gas stations, and restaurants. These economic opportunities helped secure visas to bring additional family and clan members to the United States. Clan refers to villages comprised of extremely extended family (such as 7th and 8th cousins). Many settled in towns surrounding New Orleans, especially Chalmette and those on the West Bank of the Mississippi River. In the 1980s, the Saudis had a strong presence in the area and had a social club called the Saudi House for Gulf Arabs. This club no longer exists but it was the cultural gathering place for Muslim immigrants. The club donated a mosque in the university area of Uptown New Orleans which continues to serve the transient student population. Beginning in the 1990s and continuing through the present, southern Iraqis (Shiites, a minority sect of Islam) were sponsored to immigrate as refugees. This immigrant population is mostly educated, although out of necessity many work in jobs that do not utilize their education, such as driving cabs. Besides American-born Muslims, the three largest Muslim groups in Southeast Louisiana are Palestinians, Iraqis, and Pakistani-Indians. There is also a segment of Northern African Muslims who are Arab and come from Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria. Each group practices the traditions of Islam and also brings the cultural traditions of its native country to the area.
Next - Religion And Traditional Textiles / Slide Show
Denese Neu has a doctorate in Urban Studies from the University of New Orleans. She runs a consulting practice specializing in heritage, health, and sustainability issues; conducts independent research; and is an adjunct professor now residing in Chicago. She did this research as part of the New Populations Project in 2009. |
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