Iraq – “Al-Siniyah Wal Zarf”, one of Ramadan’s most popular games in Sulaymaniyah

Sulaymaniyah – Kurdistan Region – Iraq 13/05/2019

The coffee shops of Iraq have had a distinctive charm for hundreds of years, which appeals to visitors and citizens of all age groups, especially in the holy month of Ramadan, where lots of coffee shops in different areas perk up right after Iftar and Taraweeh prayers, and start receiving people who come to drink tea, smoke hookah and play a few traditional decades-old games, such as “Mheibes” and “Al-Siniyah Wal Zarf”, which is acclaimed as one of Ramadan’s most popular games in most parts of Iraq, including Sulaymaniyah, as young people from all walks of life gather at coffee shops in Sulaymaniyah to enjoy the game. To play the game, they need a set of gold cups, a round tray, a ring or a small rock, and the game begins with these three components when two teams compete, one player hides a rock under one of the eleven cups and spins the tray, the other team has two chances to find the rock, and if they pick the wrong cup the other team wins as many points as the number of cups left on the tray. The game is usually interspersed with singing and cheering.