Meanings of Words found in When a Bulbul Sings
A’shuur Pagan God
Bawaba Front room – main living area in house
Bulbul Nightingale
Ducka Rectangular raised platform for seating outside house attached to wall. Inside house used as counters
Eid Wuzoo Festival of Lighting with Fires
Fa’ar Venomous, partially furry spider can grow to extremely large size
Hakfa Dance where male and female partners lunge down and jump up. Banned when people became more religious
Hateen A mist that envelopes the mountains for approximately three months of continuous drizzle
Jambia Beautiful curved Yemeni daggers made of variety of materials from inexpensive to precious. Worn as accessory and status symbol
Kooz Spherical vase-shaped sheesha with bamboo canes for pipes used for smoking
Qamariya Semi-circles of stained glass and gypsum above windows
Qat A green leaf people chew during afternoons and at social gatherings
Saada People believed to be close to God descending from the prophet
Saylah A temporary running water stream (following heavy rain)
Sharshaf A cloak made up of black skirt and hood worn by village women only when travelling to a city or a bride during her wedding procession
Shughaff Small easily ignitable bush used as kindling
Subhiya White cloth proving bride’s virginity (with hymen blood stains)
Tahsh A carnivorous animal said to stand on two feet with a long muzzle and many teeth. Sightings became rare when forestry desolated and animals dwindled
Tasuu’ Pagan God
Wadi Valley and/or permanent river
Wali A dead member of the Saada whose grave becomes a pilgrim site
Whadeen Small centipede with luminous white or luminous green legs