Oriental Hospitality

Traditions and rules of hospitality in Central Asia.
How a guest should behave

In the East, a poor traveler or a rich guest, regardless of age, gender or nationality, will always find a good host who shelters, treats with hot tea, feeds him with the best he has, and puts him to sleep at the most convenient place. If the wanderer is lost, he will be surely shown the way and invited to have some tea before the road. Reading the diaries of travelers of past centuries, one can often find the following words: "... Whatever house we went in, we were happy there and invited to tea."  Nowadays tourists hitchhiking in Central Asia leave similar reviews.

It is believed that every person comes to the house by Allah’s grace. It is impossible to guess whether a stranger is good, so everyone should be accepted so as not to anger Allah. In Uzbekistan, people believe that it is necessary to let any guest into the house and show their hospitality in every possible way, because Allah himself may knock in the door in the guise of a stranger. The years of the World War II are proper non-mythical example of oriental hospitality, when the families of Central Asia sheltered strangers who needed help sharing the last piece of bread. However, these rules of hospitality were born in the hearts of the indigenous people many centuries ago and have been preserved in modern life almost unchanged.

If you visit Central Asia, we advise you to learn more about oriental hospitality, distinguished by a special warmth and kindness, in advance. This will not only broaden your horizons, but also help not to hurt the feelings of the local community.

One of the main rules is to be sure to greet your neighbors, especially if you met in a narrow space (elevator, corridor, line, narrow street in the makhalla, etc.) and a counterparty is older than you. If you are already familiar, at least a little, then when greeting you should ask, how are you, how is your health, how is your family, work. However, it must also be remembered that these questions will be inappropriate if those who are talking are of different sexes and are married, and even more so do not show any features of flirting. When greeting you should make a small, barely noticeable bow, nod with your head, while putting your hand to your chest. Therefore, if a person unfamiliar to you or a child running past greeted you, do not be surprised and do not strain your memory, remembering where you met him, just answer with a kind greeting.

Paying a visit or inviting guests to yourself is a separate chapter in oriental hospitality. It is customary to visit guests with little gifts; guests come in noisy crowds with treats wrapped in large tablecloths, carried on a tray or in an enameled basin. Each hostess wants to show her culinary masterpiece, and after the fest ends she refills the dishes brought by the guests with something tasty, so those who came with the gifts will never leave empty-handed!

Such joint feasts are much more than just eating together. This is a rite of peace and friendship - to taste bread (flatbread) in the enemy's house meant that the feud was over. In addition, a joint meal is the conclusion of contracts between families (the wedding of children, etc.).

If you are invited to eat from the same plate (for example, a large pilaf plate - lagan), it means that you have been accepted into inner circle, you are trusted. People in such a circle are called “ham tovoq” (“common dish”). An interesting nuance exists, for example, among Uzbeks. If the “dinner assembly” is large, people group into four and they are served with one large dish. Such a dish is called “inok-tovoq” - “a dish of brotherhood, a friendly dish” (in different regions this name may sound a little differently).

In ancient times, it was believed that a significant person, a scientist or a priest conveys his power by touching food, and if children eat his uneaten food, then his power and grace will be passed on to them. The same way an ordinary guest was treated - the host had to eat the remnants of his food. However, today cultural progress has completely eradicated these beliefs. Exceptions can be only families of Old Believers.

There is no unanimous and generally accepted answer to the question: “Where and when did oriental hospitality start?” Adherents of Islam will say that Muhammad prescribed it, and they will be right. The traditions of hospitality could go from the Sufis - in Sufism, humanity was one of the fundamental truths.

Allegedly, oriental hospitality began with the decree of Genghis Khan. During the years of his rule, he ordered the inhabitants to accept unconditionally soldiers from his army, any suffering traveler and every unfamiliar guest at home.  Dissenters fail to comply the decree, were severely punished - tied to horses and forced to run in different directions. Admittedly, the cruel death penalty. A similar penalty was described in several legends, for example, about the Guldursun fortress, so assumingly this kind of punishment did exist. Original written decree of Genghis Khan and even copies of the fact that every host should receive a guest, not preserved, which means that it could be so, but could not be.

Could Genghis Khan issue such a “humane” decree while he was destroying cities himself (Samarkand, Khojent, Termez, Balkh and many others), and killed or enslaved the inhabitants? Although it is well known, there was an exemplary discipline in Genghis Khan’s troops, therefore, everything can be. Perhaps, initially, this decree implied compulsory cordial reception of his soldiers in every house they met, and only then people began to receive any traveler in need.

However, it was unlikely that the decree could have taken place at the time of Genghis Khan. Long before his conquests on the territory of Central Asia, the population united into rural communities, which implies that everything is common and equal. Perhaps the roots of oriental hospitality go to those ancient times. Subsequently, trade caravans appeared, lone merchants often needed overnight accommodation, water and food on the way.

Many Eastern thinkers (before and after Genghis Khan) called for peace and good at all times - this was Abu Rayhan Beruni, Abu Abdallah Khorezmi, Fitrat, Abu Ali ibn Sina (Avicenna): “No, it's not a matter of enmity. People live in a good world, Friendship is people’s affair, and praising friendship with a line is my work”.

Which version is correct - it is not so important now, just look in the good eyes of a white-bearded elder or a kid that surely would greet you. Is it possible to “instil” kindness? The most important factor in oriental hospitality is education. Here, elder are always responsible for those who younger, here all the children know that anyone who is at least a few years older should be treated with respect, including parents, and those who need help must be helped.

Oriental hospitality is, above all, goodness and mutual respect. The indigenous people of Central Asia have always been famous for these golden foundations of eastern being.

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