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Core Concepts

1. Honour
2. Loyalty
3. Communitarian
4. Education
5. Modesty
6. Pride

Egypt, the 15th most populous country in the world, is an Arab nation bordered by Israel, Libya
and Sudan. It has a global reputation due to the legacy of its ancient cultural roots. While the
country’s heritage remains a source of great pride, Egypt’s contemporary culture has also been
shaped by more recent historical events. Many traditional values continue to be defining aspects
of Egyptian culture; however, these are now accompanied by new ideas and values.
Furthermore, as the gateway between northeast Africa and the Middle East, it has been
significantly influenced by various interactions with other cultures and countries.

Geography and Spaces

An overwhelming majority of the population (approximately 95%) reside in the narrow strip of
fertile land along the Nile River, which is roughly 5% of the country’s land area. This means that
crowded conditions are a normal part of daily life for most Egyptians. Many people have largely
adapted to this close proximity.

The Nile River separates the two main regions of Egypt: the ‘Valley’ or ‘Sa’id’ (south of the Nile)
and the Delta (north of the Nile). These two regions vary greatly in regard to general attitudes
and culture. Those in the south (Sa’id) are often more conservative and religious. They may
refer to themselves as people of ‘honour’ (see Honour and Dignity below). Those who live in the
north, particularly from the larger cities, are often more liberal and open to a greater diversity of
lifestyles. The diversity in the large cities of Cairo and Alexandria is in part due to the presence
of immigrants, refugees and tourists. Lifestyle patterns in these areas generally resemble
globalised urban culture. In addition, the strong economic and cultural influence of the United
States can be seen in the art, literature and cuisine of urban Egypt.

The tendency to adopt more collectivistor individualist attitudes often varies according to one’s
social class and living arrangements. Those who can afford to live in larger homes often lean
towards an individualistic mindset. Meanwhile, those in slums or rural areas tend to emphasise
a sense of community over individual privacy and private property.
The concentration of the population along the Nile contributes to high birth rates, leading to a
rapidly expanding population. Accordingly, over half of the Egyptian population are 24 years old
or younger. Young children are seemingly everywhere, serving as a constant reminder of the
country’s population growth. These two factors – population growth and density – have led to
stress on natural and economic resources. One consequence is chronic underemployment for
the predominantly youthful population, leading many Egyptians to seek education and/or
employment abroad.

Social Stratification
A person’s place of origin and social class are important determinants for guiding how people
interact with one another. The social class an Egyptian is born into tends to dictate many
aspects of their everyday life and access to opportunities. Status is defined more in terms of
one’s family background and reputation rather than wealth, making social mobility difficult.

One marker often used to determine social class is the university one attends. Education is
highly valued in Egypt and families invest a lot in educating their children regardless of
their income. Attaining a high level of education is one of the few avenues for social mobility.
Moreover, being able to speak fluent English or French often indicates that one is highly
educated and probably from an upper social class.

In recent years, the rigid social class structure has undergone significant change, with digital
media – particularly social media platforms – now playing an important role in the dissemination
and expression of Egyptian culture. Given the country’s low rates of literacy, digital media has
helped make popular culture and the arts more widely accessible. Moreover, the Internet has
provided access to several types of information previously blocked by government censors.
Access to alternative ideas led many Egyptians to question the status quo, and this played an
important role in the Egyptian Revolution.

The Egyptian Revolution (2011)

In 2011, widespread protests called for an end to the regime of longtime president Hosni
Mubarak. Participants in the movement were predominantly middle class citizens that organised
and coordinated demonstrations through social media platforms. While they were the main
driving force behind the revolt, members of lower social classes also took to the streets. The
overall slogan of the revolution, ‘‘aīsh, hirriyya, ‘adāla igtimā’iyya’ (‘bread, freedom and social
justice’), resonated with the wider population, not just the middle class.

Under intense pressure from the public and factions within the military, Mubarak ultimately
resigned as president and was later found guilty of a number of crimes and imprisoned. There
was virtually no censorship amid the revolution, and much of the Egyptian population was able
to be openly critical of Egyptian society and push for new ideas (such as secularism and social
capitalism). This turn towards liberalism was short-lived as the conservative Muslim
Brotherhood stepped into the power vacuum. A Muslim Brotherhood candidate was
democratically elected to replace Mubarak. The Muslim Brotherhood attempted to resume
censorship and suppress dissent, which led to a second wave of protests and a military coup. In
2014, former Egyptian defence minister Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was elected as the new president.

The end of Mubarak’s 30-year rule has affected all domains of Egyptian life. Over the past few
years, there has been a growth in ‘ashwa’iyyat’ (slum areas) around major cities such as Cairo,
reflecting the widening gap between the rich and the poor.

Ethnicity and Identity

Generally, Egypt is quite a homogeneous society, with 99.6% being ethnically Egyptian. Most of
the Egyptian population identify as Muslim, with the majority belonging to the Sunni variant (see
‘Islam’ in Religion). Islamic tradition has a deep influence on the identity of many Egyptians, due
to its longstanding presence and position in the culture. Perhaps the most significant unifying
component of the Egyptian identity is the language as nearly all Egyptians speak in the Egyptian
dialect of Arabic. However, there is significant diversity within Egyptian dialects of Arabic, so
much so that some native speakers may not be able to understand each other.

The Egyptian Revolution brought to the forefront questions of ethnic and cultural identity
regarding Egypt’s position within the wider Arab world. The country is important to the Arab
world, with the Arab League headquarters being located in Cairo. Moreover, Egypt is one of the
Arab world’s literary centres, producing many of modern Arabic literature’s foremost
writers. However, Egyptians continue to debate whether they feel a stronger affinity to being
‘Egyptian’ or ‘Arab’ on both an individual and national level, indicating that Egyptian and Arabic
culture are not synonymous.

Honour and Dignity

Some cultural values are generally upheld across all geographic and class distinctions in Egypt.
The notion of honour (sharaf) is a central concept that guides behaviour and significantly
influences interactions in Egyptian culture. It is deeply intertwined with people’s ideas
about their personal dignity (karama). Traditionally, a man’s honour was determined by his
ability to protect the women in his care. While many cultural ideas of honourable behaviour may
still be related to patriarchal responsibility, such traditional customs tend to be prevalent only in
more rural areas.

Honour in modern-day Egypt is more commonly determined by the degree to which people
exhibit and respect common cultural values of modesty, loyalty, honesty and hospitality. For
 example, the way they dress, the way they present themselves, the hospitality they show friends
and guests, and the respect they give the elderly and those in authority can be perceived to
reflect their honour and dignity (sharaf and karama). Pride and status is found in being helpful,
generous and charitable to others. Everyone is also expected to be loyal to his family and ‘a
man of his word’. As Egypt is generally a collectivist society, the needs of one’s family or
community typically take precedence over one’s personal needs or desires.

One’s honour is intertwined with family reputation in Egypt and, thus, preservation of honour is
often understood in terms of the collective rather than the individual. In the event of an
individual’s failure or shortcoming, the whole family’s name and honour is often affected, and
shame is felt by everyone related to the person. In this way, there is a cultural pressure for
individuals to protect their family’s reputation by stressing their positive qualities, emphasising
their family members’ achievements and adhering to social expectations. As honesty is highly
valued in Egyptian culture, failing to uphold one’s promise is a quick way to bring dishonour on
one’s family.

Greetings

7. A person entering into any group scenario should greet those already present. Handshakes
are expected in a situation involving people you are familiar with.
8. Handshakes may be held only lightly, but are often prolonged. They are generally
accompanied with a wide smile and direct eye contact.
9. First names tend not to be used unless one has been invited to do so. The common form of
address is the use of titles (e.g. Mr, Mrs, Dr, etc.) along with one’s first name or surname
depending on the relationship.
10. Close friends may address each other in informal settings by first name but may add a title to
the first name in formal settings.
11. A common phrase that accompanies a greeting is ‘salaam aleikum’ (‘may peace be with
you’), which should be replied to with ‘waaleikum us salam’ (‘may peace be with you also’).
However, the exact phrase varies by town/city and dialect. For example, in some areas it is
more common to say ‘Sbaa’ el Kher’ (good morning) and ‘Masaa’ el Kher’ (good evening).
12. Often, how people greet one another is based on the class, religion and gender of the
person. If unsure about the most appropriate greeting, it is best to follow the lead of the
Egyptian you are meeting.
13. Greetings among Egyptians can be quite lengthy, with people inquiring into their
counterpart’s health, well-being of their family, etc.
 Greetings based on gender

1. Men greeting men: When meeting for the first time, a light handshake with the right hand is
common. Friends and relatives tend to kiss on both cheeks. This may be accompanied with
a hug and a back slap while shaking hands with the right hand.
2. Women greeting women: When meeting for the first time, a simple nod of acknowledgement
or a light handshake with the right hand is common. Friends and relatives tend to kiss on
both cheeks while shaking hands.
3. Greetings between men and women: A handshake may be acceptable in certain
circumstances and the woman must extend her hand first. If she does not, a man should bow
his head as a sign of acknowledgement. Kissing on the cheek is acceptable if they are very
closely related.

Etiquette

Basic Etiquette

4. It is considered impolite to point the toe, heel or any part of the foot toward another person.
Showing the sole of one’s shoe is also impolite.
5. Modest dress and presentation is highly valued in Egyptian culture.
6. Greetings often occur before any form of social interaction. For example, a person joining a
group is expected to greet all those present.
7. Generally, the younger defer to the older through showing respect, not challenging their
seniors and using special verbal terms of address for aunts, uncles, grandparents and older
non-relatives.
8. If your counterpart identifies as Muslim, it is forbidden to walk in front of someone who is
praying or to talk to someone who is currently in prayer.
9. It is expected that one show gratitude when offered a compliment. This is done by
responding with an equally respectful compliment on the same subject or, if they are Muslim,
wishing Allah’s (God’s) blessings.

Visiting

10. Not visiting someone for a long period of time is considered a sign of the relationship’s
insignificance, especially one’s family.
11. Egyptians generally have a relaxed attitude towards time and strict punctuality is not
commonly practised.
12. Adult children who live outside of their parents’ home often visit their parents on Fridays and
holidays.
13. When visiting a mosque or someone’s home, one is required to remove their shoes before
entering.
14. Egyptians tend to prepare elaborate and lavish meals when they have guests.
15. If invited to an Egyptian’s home, offering good quality chocolates or sweets to the hostess as
a token of gratitude is appreciated.
16. If the reason for being invited to an Egyptian’s home is for a dinner party, wait for the host or
hostess to indicate the seat they have reserved for you.
17. Guests should always wait for the host to serve them rather than serving themselves.

Eating

1. It is considered to be a compliment to take second helpings.

2. Leave a small amount of food on your plate once you have finished eating. This symbolises
abundance and serves as a compliment to the host for providing so well.
3. It is not common for people to salt their serving of food as it is considered to be
‘unnecessary’.
4. Complimenting food should be done in a statement rather than a question. For example,
questioning the method of the cooking (e.g. ‘how was this made?’) means that one is
sceptical of the food.
5. Avoid eating communal food with your left hand, as this hand is generally reserved for
personal hygiene. Only the right hand is used when eating food with one’s hands.
6. Alcohol is generally not offered nor is it consumed with food. Only offer alcohol to your
Egyptian counterpart if you know that they consume it.
7. It is considered offensive to offer pork to Muslims as pigs and products relating to pigs (such
as pork and pig leather) are prohibited in the Islamic religion.

Gift Giving

1. Gifts are generally given and received with both hands or only the right hand.
2. A small gift to your Egyptian counterpart’s children is a welcome gesture.
3. Gifts tend not to be opened when received.
4. Avoid giving flowers as a gift. Flowers tend to be reserved for weddings, the ill or for periods
of mourning.

Communication

Verbal
 Communication Style: Egyptians are quite expressive and passionate when
they converse. They have a tendency to be evocative and verbose by telling stories and
using wordplay and jokes. They are generally open and emotive, displaying happiness and
gratitude freely. Emotions relating to grief and sorrow are also widely expressed, particularly
in the case of death of a loved one. However, public displays of anger are discouraged and
may be interpreted as an insult.
 Indirect Communication: Egyptians generally communicate in an indirect manner. They
tend to avoid replying with a direct ‘no’ and instead usually offer a lengthy reply that may not
answer the question. However, depending on the context of the conversation and who they
are communicating with, they may be direct in some instances. For example, someone of
seniority by position or age may be more direct when conversing with those below them. The
use of direct communication in these occasional instances is rarely intended to offend the
conversation partner.
 Humour: Egyptians often use humour in their conversations and find it encouraging when
their jokes are appreciated. When meeting an Egyptian for the first time, it is common for
them to say a joke or two.

Non-Verbal
 Physical Contact: The appropriateness of touching during conversations depends on the
relationship between the people interacting. Close friends and family will frequently touch
each other while acquaintances will generally refrain from doing so. Normsand expectations
of physical contact also often depend on the gender of the people interacting. For example,
good friends of the same gender may hold hands or kiss when greeting in public. On the
other hand, there is little to no public display of affection between opposite genders during
conversation or when in public places, with the exception of married couples who may walk
arm in arm.
 Personal Space: The common physical distance maintained between people is usually an
arm’s length. The acceptable proximity may vary depending on the genders of the two
people interacting with one another. For example, women may stand closer to each other,
whilst people generally prefer to keep a bigger distance from those of the opposite gender .
 Gestures: Touching all four fingers to the thumb with the palm facing inwards then shaking it
up and down is used to tell someone to ‘wait a moment’. To point, one usually uses their
index finger.
 Beckoning: To beckon someone, Egyptians tend to whistle, clap or say ‘psst’.
 Eye Contact: Direct eye contact is acceptable in most cases and is valued as a sign of
respect to the speaker as well as a sign of honesty and sincerity. Sometimes, Egyptians will
hold an intense stare, meaning that their eye contact may be stronger than what is typical in
Australia. However, in accordance to Islamic principles, males and females may be expected
to lower their gaze and avoid sustained eye contact with each other. This is considered
respectful and observant of the partition between genders.