Hookah Subculture/culture

[r1v3th3ad]

So ladies and gents, I'm working on my second research paper for my course Research Writing...
I am doing my paper on the hookah subculture. I need to do interviews and all my "in person" candidates have been M.I.A.
I was wondering if you all could help me. I will list off a series of questions and possibly examples. Don't be afraid. Try to be as specific as possible, as if you were talking to your eighty eight year old grandma who was never heard of hookahs. If you have any other information other than what I'm asking about, I would appreciate your input, hell, I'd appreciate your input without it. If you have some facts that are not as much of common knowledge (i.e shisha is tobacco which is moreso common knowledge, whereas hookahs were stolen in Germany during WWII is not common knowledge), please provide some evidence to back it up(i.e. a creditable website that tells us this). And feel free to correct someone else, but in order to take discreditation of one person's statement into my paper, once again I need some sort of proof. BTW, for questions you are answering can you quote the question and space the quotes out by chance, not a necessity, just would be cool.
Also don't be afraid to say something someone else already said or something that is in examples.
Sorry to be so picky guys, just when it comes to this type of class, I tend to get like this. Thanks in advance everyone. I will chime in to comment and ask questions as it goes on.
O BTW, please try to keep it civil , after all, its just a listing of facts and personal background .

"Survey"
1. Age (if confortable stating, I'm trying to generate and avg. range)
2. Gender
3. Ethnicity
4. Cultural background with the hookah culture, if any(i.e. people of your race have been known to smoke or were the start to it)?
5. Traditional: Is this a tradition to you, will it be passed on to your children...etc...?
6. Reason/why do you do it?
7. Other tobacco use? (do you smoke cigs or anything else)
8. Origins of the hookah
9. Obsession with? (some people, it's all they talk about)
10. Hookahs in History? (i.e. the hookah in Alice in Wonderland)
11. Want to try to list all technical terms/hookah language/definitions. i.e. Shisha is tobacco blended with molasses.
12. Differences in products? (hookahs/shishas/coals/etc...)
13. How did you start?
14. Who introduced you?
15. How do you do it? Do you smoke and leave, sit on floor, talk, etc?
16. What do you use in the base?
17. The transition from where it started, to the world?


Thanks all. I think thats all. Looking forward to seeing what everyone has to say. It will probably be a few weeks until I organize everything and can get it posted.

edit: p.s. I may know a lot of this stuff, but I have to play dumb... Edited February 28, 2008 by r1v3th3ad

[zeppyrkr]

"Survey"
1. Age (if confortable stating, I'm trying to generate and avg. range) -20
2. Gender - male
3. Ethnicity - white, 1/4 italian and lots of little others, kinda sad really...
4. Cultural background with the hookah culture, if any(i.e. people of your race have been known to smoke or were the start to it)? - none
5. Traditional: Is this a tradition to you, will it be passed on to your children...etc...? - nope
6. Reason/why do you do it? - love the social aspect, relaxation, and history/culture behind it
7. Other tobacco use? (do you smoke cigs or anything else) - smoke cigs on bowling night lol dont ask
8. Origins of the hookah - middle eastern, coal directly on tobacco
9. Obsession with? (some people, it's all they talk about) - ive found myself doing this, not sure why, its so interesting and ive really fallen in love with it and ive notice its unique and its always fun to share the knowledge
10. Hookahs in History? (i.e. the hookah in Alice in Wonderland) - Alice in woderland is the only one i can think of
11. Want to try to list all technical terms/hookah language/definitions. i.e. Shisha is tobacco blended with molasses. - no
12. Differences in products? (hookahs/shishas/coals/etc...) - hookah is the waterpipe, shisha is the tobacco and coals hmm are the coals, stem is the main shaft part, the vase holds the water, purge valve has a ball bearing which allows the release of stale smoke, bowl holds the shisha.
13. How did you start? - gf and i went to local hookah bar, later that day made an online purchase.
14. Who introduced you? - cousin, had one before i knew what they were i thought he was crazy
15. How do you do it? Do you smoke and leave, sit on floor, talk, etc? - good friends and by myself, sit relax and talk, music always!
16. What do you use in the base? H20 and ice
17. The transition from where it started, to the world? - iim pretty sure it slowly came over through middle eastern people coming to america and such and slowly its spreading, but considering its been around for so long its been a very long time to become worldwide.
sorry if im not much help its late and i really should be sleeping, good luck. Edited February 28, 2008 by zeppyrkr

[Patzke]

Dont know why anyone else hasn't posted back - maybe i'm doing something wrong, maybe i'm just the first.

1. Age. 18
2. Gender. Male
3. Ethnicity. White
4. Cultural background with the hookah culture, if any? Crazy Germans? N/A
5. Traditional: Not a tradition yet. I could possible see it becoming one.
6. Reason/why do you do it? Relaxation, taste, bonding time with my buddies, entertainment.
7. Other tobacco use? Pipe tobacco once in a blue moon. Very Rarely.
8. Origins of the hookah. Smilies?
9. Obsession with? Not obsessed, just really enjoy it.
10. Hookahs in History? I don't know a whole lot about it's history. I know a lot of Germans did it back in the day.
11. Want to try to list all technical terms/hookah language/definitions. Parts of the Hookah? Hose, Heart, stem, vase, bowl, foil, etc?
12. Differences in products? Hookah Pipe, Hose, Bowls, Shisha,
13. How did you start? At a party, way back when. I rarely smoke at parties any more. Usualy on my own, in my 'living room' with friends. Or outside in the wash, with friends.
14. Who introduced you? Smilies, and Friends.
15. How do you do it? Smoke the shisha which is in the bowl, which is covered by foil that has many holes poked into it with a Hookah coal on top
16. What do you use in the base? Tonight, i used Gatorade and water. Wasn't too impressed. Usualy just water goes in (for me).
17. The transition from where it started, to the world? I just saw pictures the other night of an 'ancient' hookah. Pretty sure it wasn't a US born tradition.

[r1v3th3ad]

First of all, thanks zeppyrkr

To clear up confusion...
in 10 I'm just trying to get info of hookahs in history that you know of, like how it was in Alice in Wonderland, or how in WWII soldiers stole them in Germany...
in 17 I'm trying to find out if anyone knows how the hookah went worldwide
in 12 I'm trying to get along the lines of what zeppy listed, but also differences like washed and unwashed, natural and quicklights, brands of things, etc...
in 3, something like zeppy put, but also things such as how I am white/american, but my roots are german/irish/lithuanian

thanks, keep it coming guys
edit: just saw the post from Patzke, thank you man..
outta curiosity, who/what is Smilies? Edited February 28, 2008 by r1v3th3ad

[Patzke]

First of all, thanks zeppyrkr

To clear up confusion...
in 10 I'm just trying to get info of hookahs in history that you know of, like how it was in Alice in Wonderland, or how in WWII soldiers stole them in Germany...
in 17 I'm trying to find out if anyone knows how the hookah went worldwide
in 12 I'm trying to get along the lines of what zeppy listed, but also differences like washed and unwashed, natural and quicklights, brands of things, etc...
in 3, something like zeppy put, but also things such as how I am white/american, but my roots are german/irish/lithuanian

thanks, keep it coming guys
edit: just saw the post from Patzke, thank you man..
outta curiosity, who/what is Smilies?

You're welcome man. I hope I can help. I love doing serveys - especialy cuase i know that when i have one that i need info on - no one does them.

Smilies is one of the local Hookah shop here in Tucson(i think. somone correct me if i'm wrong). Sorry about that, i forgot not everyone's familiar with that.

[r1v3th3ad]

hey man, every little bit helps to form a solid, informative paper...if I can get enough, maybe I can get it published...colleges offer a paper called the Endnote, which publishes history papers of students...maybe this could fit that, otherwise I'm sure I'll find something else.

[Texico]

"Survey"
1. Age (if confortable stating, I'm trying to generate and avg. range)-18
2. Gender-Male
3. Ethnicity-Hispanic/Latino
4. Cultural background with the hookah culture, if any(i.e. people of your race have been known to smoke or were the start to it)?-none
5. Traditional: Is this a tradition to you, will it be passed on to your children...etc...?-no
6. Reason/why do you do it?-I enjoy the social aspect. I also like the relaxation. It's what I look forward to at the end of the week.
7. Other tobacco use? (do you smoke cigs or anything else)-I smoke a cigar occasionally.
8. Origins of the hookah-I think it originated almost simultaneously in the Middle East and India? Not entirely sure. I have gathered that they put the coal directly on the tobacco.
9. Obsession with? (some people, it's all they talk about)-I think about it a lot. I guess sometimes I talk about it a lot. Like I said, the social aspect of chilling with my friends is what I look forward to on the weekends.
10. Hookahs in History? (i.e. the hookah in Alice in Wonderland)-I know British envoys to the Middle East had to smoke hookah during WWI. Other than that, I don't know much about hookah in history.
11. Want to try to list all technical terms/hookah language/definitions. i.e. Shisha is tobacco blended with molasses.-Quoi?
12. Differences in products? (hookahs/shishas/coals/etc...)-different styles of hookahs (modern, syrian, egyptian, etc); finger coals, bulk coals, quicklights, japanese coals, etc; all tobacco washed, only some washed to remove significant amounts of nicotine
13. How did you start?-Friends took me to a hookah bar during college orientation
14. Who introduced you?-a couple of my friends
15. How do you do it? Do you smoke and leave, sit on floor, talk, etc?-If outside we chill and talk or sometimes people will bring out guitars/drums and will jam with us. If we're inside we usually have the TV on and we're talking and stuff. We usually smoke for quite a while.
16. What do you use in the base?-I use room temperature water and nothing else
17. The transition from where it started, to the world?-um, I guess just standard diffusion. It was found during the wars (WWI and WWII) by soldiers fighting over there and they brought it back. British, I guess, had a quicker route to bringing it to the rest of the world with their control of India.

[r1v3th3ad]

Thank you Texico, that helps a lot too
I'm loving the variety...=more info to piece together

[gaia.plateau]

Survey
1. Age (if confortable stating, I'm trying to generate and avg. range) 22
2. Gender Male
3. Ethnicity Scottish/Norwegian
4. Cultural background with the hookah culture, if any(i.e. people of your race have been known to smoke or were the start to it)? N/A
5. Traditional: Is this a tradition to you, will it be passed on to your children...etc...? Not really
6. Reason/why do you do it? Relaxation, pleasure, social interaction
7. Other tobacco use? (do you smoke cigs or anything else) Cigars
8. Origins of the hookah India and surrounding areas, originally used for NHT
9. Obsession with? (some people, it's all they talk about) Perhaps a passion, not an obsession
10. Hookahs in History? (i.e. the hookah in Alice in Wonderland) Is alice in wonderland "history"? I know it's pretty big in the Star Wars films and books and stuff, I've seen it in video games, and of course the famous caterpillar. See 8 for hookah history
11. Want to try to list all technical terms/hookah language/definitions. i.e. Shisha is tobacco blended with molasses. Ma'assal / Moessel, Arguilleh/Narguile, Hookah (actually means the tobacco), Shisha (actually means the pipe)
12. Differences in products? (hookahs/shishas/coals/etc...) Egyptian, Syrian, Persian, Chinese, Egyptian models of waterpipes... dozens of brands of tobacco, in washed and relatively unwashed varities... natural coals include finger, disc, cube, while quicklights are generally the standard disc with the exception of Japanese-style
13. How did you start? Went to a hookah lounge called "Gaia" in Antigua, Guatemala with some friends
14. Who introduced you? The waiter, I guess
15. How do you do it? Do you smoke and leave, sit on floor, talk, etc? Depends on circumstances
16. What do you use in the base? Depends on mood and tobacco. I often use teas, wines, coffee, juices, and ice
17. The transition from where it started, to the world? Do you mean when it became popular in the West? I would guess the mid nineties Edited February 28, 2008 by gaia.plateau

[AKammenzind]

1. Age: 19
2. Gender: Male
3. Ethnicity: White
4. Cultural background with the hookah culture, if any: None

5. Traditional: Not really, just something I enjoy doing.

6. Reason/why do you do it? Socializing, Relaxing, Helps concentration during studying.

7. Other tobacco use? Cigars, Pipes.

8. Origins of the hookah:Originated in India, popular throughout the Arab World.

9. Obsession with?: I'm not obsessed so much as infatuated. Give me another year and I might well be obsessed

10. Hookahs in History?: Beyond the basic history of the hookah, I don't know much trivia of historical interest.

11. Want to try to list all technical terms/hookah language/definitions: Base, Stem, Bowl, Grommets, Hose(s).

12. Differences in products?: There are two main types of traditional hookahs, Egyptian and Syrian. Syrians sometimes have male heads, rather than the standard female. Come in one hose or multi-hosed designs.

13. How did you start?: Friends took me to a hookah bar and it was love at first smoke.

14. Who introduced you?: A couple friends

15. How do you do it? Do you smoke and leave, sit on floor, talk, etc?: I generally smoke with friends and find that it creates a great environment for us to chat about anything on our minds. Also good to smoke with friends while watching a movie.

16. What do you use in the base?: Usually just tap water, often adding some ice cubes and occaissionaly pop or milk.

17. The transition from where it started, to the world?: Hookah has grown a lot in the west probably because of immigrants from the Arab World.



That about what you're wanting? Geeze, it's 2:30 AM... I'm wide awake and bored out of my skull!

[r1v3th3ad]

Thanks guys, this is turning out great so far. The technical terms and history helps out a lot with different portions of this portfolio project/paper...

I'm wide awake too man...no class tomorrow and have just been sitting here smoking the night away. If I was back in the burg I'd smoke one with ya

[AKammenzind]

Thanks guys, this is turning out great so far. The technical terms and history helps out a lot with different portions of this portfolio project/paper...

I'm wide awake too man...no class tomorrow and have just been sitting here smoking the night away. If I was back in the burg I'd smoke one with ya

Ah! You forgot the H! Burgh*

I'm gonna go take some nyquil and shut my machine off... got class in a few hours hehe.

[r1v3th3ad]

I'm retiring for the night.

Keep them coming, I'll check in first thing when I wake up and respond. Edited February 28, 2008 by r1v3th3ad

[shisha fan]

1. Age (if confortable stating, I'm trying to generate and avg. range) 20
2. Gender male
3. Ethnicity caucasian, dutch
4. Cultural background with the hookah culture, if any(i.e. people of your race have been known to smoke or were the start to it)? none
5. Traditional: Is this a tradition to you, will it be passed on to your children...etc...? i`ve already introduced many people to hookah smoking and they all like it, and in turn introduced others to it. if i ever have children i will introduce them to it at the appropriate age
6. Reason/why do you do it? because i enjoy it
7. Other tobacco use? (do you smoke cigs or anything else) i smoke cigarettes and the occasional cigar
8. Origins of the hookah most likely egypt, and it was used for the golden brown kind of NHT
9. Obsession with? (some people, it's all they talk about) not an obsession, but definately a hobby
10. Hookahs in History? (i.e. the hookah in Alice in Wonderland) can`t think of anything at the moment
11. Want to try to list all technical terms/hookah language/definitions. i.e. Shisha is tobacco blended with molasses. the pipe is called a shisha and the tobacco is called moassel. but americans call the pipe a hookah and the tobacco shisha
12. Differences in products? (hookahs/shishas/coals/etc...) thats a very open question, be a bit more specific.
13. How did you start? turkish guy introduced me to it.
14. Who introduced you? see question 13
15. How do you do it? Do you smoke and leave, sit on floor, talk, etc? i sit down on a chair or on the couch. sometimes alone, sometimes with others.
16. What do you use in the base? water, sometimes ice tea
17. The transition from where it started, to the world? tourism and immigrants

[Bulldog_916]

1. Age (if confortable stating, I'm trying to generate and avg. range) 21
2. Gender Male
3. Ethnicity White American
4. Cultural background with the hookah culture, if any(i.e. people of your race have been known to smoke or were the start to it)? No real cultural history.
5. Traditional: Is this a tradition to you, will it be passed on to your children...etc...? Only pass it to my children once they are of age.
6. Reason/why do you do it? I like the cultural aspect. I like the relaxing, it allows me to think to myself and reflect.
7. Other tobacco use? (do you smoke cigs or anything else) No. But I plan to try cigars eventually.
8. Origins of the hookah Only thing that I know is that it originally was a coconut and bamboo structure in which tombeik style tobacco and NHT was smoked.
9. Obsession with? (some people, it's all they talk about) Non-obsessed, but I do spend more on it than I should.
10. Hookahs in History? (i.e. the hookah in Alice in Wonderland) Cant say I know where in history they have appeared. Although I will be researching this subject as well.
11. Want to try to list all technical terms/hookah language/definitions. i.e. Shisha is tobacco blended with molasses. Stem = metal part of the hookah that dips into the water, brings smoke up the shaft and allows purging. Bowl is what the tobacco is contained in as it is smoked. Base is where the water is contained. Tongs are what coals are moved with. Coals are what the tobacco is heated with. Too many to list really.
12. Differences in products? (hookahs/shishas/coals/etc...) Some hookahs are of better quality than others, you can tell this by branding, smoke quality, reviews, openness and ease of pull, air tightness, etc. Some shishas are better than others in how they are manufactured. For example, Fusion is a very good quality line of tobacco because of the flavor intensity, tobacco type, how it is treated, etc. The differences in coals are in how they are pressed and what types of wood and charred byproduct are used in their making. Quick lites have a starting agent present so they can be lit with a simple lighter. Naturals are raw charred wood either pressed or unpressed into certain shapes or sizes. These need a stove or large flame to light. Some bowls are different than others in their design. There is the typical Egyptian form native to most hookahs. Phunnel bowls are manufactured by Tangiers and are designed for their premium line of tobacco. Mya bowls are deeper, with higher sides manufactured by Mya.
13. How did you start? Friends took me to a hookah bar. I liked the experience and after about 6 months I decided I wanted my own hookah.
14. Who introduced you? My friend.
15. How do you do it? Do you smoke and leave, sit on floor, talk, etc? I have the hookah on a work bench/table. I sit on a stool and smoke from it. While I know this isnt ethically right in the hookah culture, I respect it anyway.
16. What do you use in the base? Water exclusively.
17. The transition from where it started, to the world? It began in arabic communities during the 1800s. Then spread into Asia. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-24278...ing#845897.hook

[bassman65]

1. 19
2. Male
3. Japanese/Black/Irish
4. To my knowledge, no part of my ethnicity is associated with hookah
5. I was introduced to Hookah by my highschool friends, but I never really got into it until college. I started smoking a lot with my Pakistani friend, and he inspired me to get my hookah. I will continue to smoke unless I have a good reason to quit. However, I will not pass this tradition on to my children, at least at a young age. When they're legally able to smoke however, I'd gladly let them light up my pipe.
6. The main reason I smoke hookah is the social aspect of it. Whenever I smoke, I invite friends over, and we all just sit around and talk. In college, where everyone is busy working, you need a little more incentive for friends to come over. Not to make them sound shallow, but not everyone has the time to sit around and talk for a couple of hours. When you introduce a hookah into the mix however, everyone eagerly makes room in their schedules. I'm not saying I use hookah to make friends, rather, preserve what friendships I have by spending time together.

I also, obviously, enjoy smoke in general. Its a beautiful thing...
7. Nope
8. I'm pretty sure it originated in India actually.
9. Well, when I first got my hookah it was all I talked about. It was something that excited me, so it was on my mind nonstop. After the honey-moon phase though, it becomes much more of a hobby than an obsession. I have other hobbies that take priority over hookah as well.
10. n/a
11. No thanks
12. Quicklights vs. Naturals, Egyptian vs. Syrian vs. Modern, Washed vs. Unwashed, Funnel vs. Regular
13. Question 5
14. Question 5
15. I smoke in my dorm room. I invite people over and we all sit around on beds and talk.
16. Plain water. Sometimes I add in ice, but usually the smoke is cool enough.
17. I agree that it has grown in popularity recently due to Arab immigrants. A lot of hookah bar owners are middle eastern. I'm sure many people had their own personal hookahs, but the bars is what really introduced many now smokers to the hookah.

Hope this helps

[abeezstg]

1. Age 20
2. Gender Male
3. Ethnicity White
4. Cultural background with the hookah culture N/A
5. Traditional: Is this a tradition to you, will it be passed on to your children...etc...? It is somewhat of a pastime that me and my friends do, and I have no problem bringing it into my home, and continuing the culture with my children
6. Reason/why do you do it? It's relaxing, its a nice unwind from a stressful day, but it can also be brought into a social scene and brings people together
7. Other tobacco use? I smoke cigs from time to time, but not on the regular
8. Origins of the hookah
9. Obsession with? (some people, it's all they talk about) Its not really an obsession, but it is something different, not many people around my area do hookah, so i keep it kind of sacred to myself
10. Hookahs in History? (i.e. the hookah in Alice in Wonderland)
11. Want to try to list all technical terms/hookah language/definitions. i.e. Shisha is tobacco blended with molasses. Acclimation, heat management, foil pattern, washed vs unwashed etc.
12. Differences in products? (hookahs/shishas/coals/etc...) All products have their different intracacies , each tobacco has its different heat requirements. Its all a matter of level of smoking ability and what you like, and thats why their are so many different avenues to take, because everyone is different.
13. How did you start? I started about a year ago visiting a friend in college, he brought me to a hookah bar, and I was hooked. I loved it.
14. Who introduced you? My friend
15. How do you do it? Do you smoke and leave, sit on floor, talk, etc? I smoke and sit on my couch, watch a movie, read, do homework, talk on aim, whatever. Its really chill.
16. What do you use in the base? Water with Ice
17. The transition from where it started, to the world?

[Johnny_D]

"Survey"
1. Age = 34
2. Gender = Male
3. Ethnicity = White, British.
4. Cultural background with the hookah culture = Jewish / Middle Eastern
5. Traditional = Yes * No. I would hope my children don't smoke.
6. Reason/why do you do it = Because it reminds me of a place i'd rather be.
7. Other tobacco use? = None whatso ever.
8. Origins of the hookah = Turkey / ottoman empire?
9. Obsession with? = It certainly takes up a lot of my time with the forum.
10. Hookahs in History? = No Idea.
11. Want to try to list all technical terms/hookah language/definitions. = Not really, There are so many variations and local dialects. But most people understand what you are driving at.
12. Differences in products? = Don't understand this question.
13. How did you start = In the middle east with my brother
14. Who introduced you = My Brother!
15. How do you do it? Do you smoke and leave, sit on floor, talk, etc = With the hookah on the table next to me whilst i'm lounging on my sofa. Or in the garden during summer.
16. What do you use in the base = Water
17. The transition from where it started, to the world = Currently Popular culture and young geneation trends.

[Elky]

"Survey"
1. Age:20
2. Gender: Male
3. Ethnicity: Brittish
4. Cultural background with the hookah culture, if any: None
5. Traditional: No tradition, recreation
6. Reason/why do you do it: Relaxing, Social aspects,
7. Other tobacco use? None
8.
9. Obsession with? Not so much, I do like to talk about it with people who are interested in it though.
10.
11.
12.
13. How did you start? Tried it at a party and fell in love
14. Who introduced you? A good friend
15. How do you do it? Usualy relax in my armchair and have discussions or play video games with friends
16. What do you use in the base? Room temp water
17. The transition from where it started, to the world? Good things catch on

[r1v3th3ad]

12. Differences in products? (hookahs/shishas/coals/etc...) thats a very open question, be a bit more specific.

Such as a comparison of Nakhla to Tangiers

11. Want to try to list all technical terms/hookah language/definitions. i.e. Shisha is tobacco blended with molasses. Stem = metal part of the hookah that dips into the water, brings smoke up the shaft and allows purging. Bowl is what the tobacco is contained in as it is smoked. Base is where the water is contained. Tongs are what coals are moved with. Coals are what the tobacco is heated with. Too many to list really.
12. Differences in products? (hookahs/shishas/coals/etc...) Some hookahs are of better quality than others, you can tell this by branding, smoke quality, reviews, openness and ease of pull, air tightness, etc. Some shishas are better than others in how they are manufactured. For example, Fusion is a very good quality line of tobacco because of the flavor intensity, tobacco type, how it is treated, etc. The differences in coals are in how they are pressed and what types of wood and charred byproduct are used in their making. Quick lites have a starting agent present so they can be lit with a simple lighter. Naturals are raw charred wood either pressed or unpressed into certain shapes or sizes. These need a stove or large flame to light. Some bowls are different than others in their design. There is the typical Egyptian form native to most hookahs. Phunnel bowls are manufactured by Tangiers and are designed for their premium line of tobacco. Mya bowls are deeper, with higher sides manufactured by Mya.
17. The transition from where it started, to the world? It began in arabic communities during the 1800s. Then spread into Asia. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-24278...ing#845897.hook

Awesome man, this is the type of detail I love and works great

11. Want to try to list all technical terms/hookah language/definitions. i.e. Shisha is tobacco blended with molasses. Acclimation, heat management, foil pattern, washed vs unwashed etc.

These are great, just wondering if you could give a little bit of explanation to acclimation, heat management, and foil pattern.



Thanks everyone, the masses of responses is really helping. Everyone's response has helped in its own unique way and IS building up a strong paper for me. I'm lovin it guys.
Just think, when this is done, you can also reference newbies to this thread to read before they start posting questions lol

[Switch]

1.) Age =19
2.) Gender = Male
3.) Ethnicity = White, American
4. Cultural background with the hookah culture = none
5. Traditional = Yes and probably
6. Reason/why do you do it = Allows friends to come together and just talk without having to worry about always "doing" something
7. Other tobacco use? = None
8. Origins of the hookah = India, Middle East
9. Obsession with? = I do it alot and my friends and i talk about it
10. Hookahs in History? = no clue
11. Want to try to list all technical terms/hookah language/definitions. = There are a lot, Hookahs are often refered to as shishas in other countrys. In the US though shisha is what is actually smoked, not the pipe
12. Differences in products? = Egyptian, syrian
13. How did you start = Friend of mine came back from whales with one
14. Who introduced you = Friend
15. How do you do it? Do you smoke and leave, sit on floor, talk, etc = sit normally in a circle with friends, or else its on the floor at my feet while i lounge on the couch watching Television
16. What do you use in the base = Water
17. The transition from where it started, to the world = Its trendy and many people think its a safe alternative to cigs. Which isnt necesarily true, but its not really untrue either.

[skateongrass91]

1. Age 17
2. Gender Male
3. Ethnicity White
4. Cultural background with the hookah culture, if any? NA
5. Traditional: Is this a tradition to you, will it be passed on to your children...etc...? Not Tradition but i would have no problem with them doing it when they are around my age.
6. Reason/why do you do it? Social Activity at my house with my friends
7. Other tobacco use? No other tobacco use
8. Origins of the hookah Got it from hookah company
9. Obsession with? (some people, it's all they talk about) No, im fairly new to it but i am in to it
10. Hookahs in History? (i.e. the hookah in Alice in Wonderland) Dont Know
11. Want to try to list all technical terms/hookah language/definitions. i.e. Shisha is tobacco blended with molasses.
12. Differences in products? (hookahs/shishas/coals/etc...)
13. How did you start? Tried one of my friends and decided to purchase one
14. Who introduced you? My friend who lives in russia
15. How do you do it? Do you smoke and leave, sit on floor, talk, etc? Sit in chairs around a hookah table and talk and listen to music
16. What do you use in the base? Ice and water
17. The transition from where it started, to the world?

[r1v3th3ad]

13 so far, appreciate the input everyone
gonna printing out thread tomorrow morning for some rough work in class, keep em coming, will be doing final work straight from thread, to ms word.

[leadpipecinch21]

1. Age (if confortable stating, I'm trying to generate and avg. range)
21 years of age
2. Gender
male
3. Ethnicity
white/italian
4. Cultural background with the hookah culture, if any(i.e. people of your race have been known to smoke or were the start to it)?
none, unfortunately
5. Traditional: Is this a tradition to you, will it be passed on to your children...etc...?
it's not really a tradition, just something i do on a regular basis for relaxation.
6. Reason/why do you do it?
when i'm by myself i do it to relax and take the edge off the day. when i'm with friends i do it for the relaxation as well, but more for the fun, social environment a hookah always seems to have following it.
7. Other tobacco use? (do you smoke cigs or anything else)
i smoked cigarettes for about 4 years, stopped recently though. I also enjoy the occasional cigar(usually one a week or so)
8. Origins of the hookah
India, the Middle East, and Egypt
9. Obsession with? (some people, it's all they talk about)
i would say i'm less obsessed and more addicted to it.
10. Hookahs in History? (i.e. the hookah in Alice in Wonderland)
uuuh, there's one in star wars? i'm not really sure what you're asking here.
11. Want to try to list all technical terms/hookah language/definitions. i.e. Shisha is tobacco blended with molasses.
shisha- tobacco and molasses, or it can mean the pipe itself, depending on who i'm talking to
hookah- generally the pipe, though one of my friends constantly refers to the tobacco as hookah
stem-the part that sits above the base. the tray sits on it, and the bowl connects to it
down stem- the part inside the vase
vase-the glass part
bowl- where the tobacco goes. i also call it a head when i'm referring to it when it's full
hose- the part you suck on
purge valve- the little bit of metal that has holes and a ball bearing
that's about it.
12. Differences in products? (hookahs/shishas/coals/etc...)
not really sure what this is asking? yeah, there are a lot of differences between hookahs, shisha, coals, hell there's even a big difference between tongs.
13. How did you start?
a friend of mine dragged me to this crappy hookah bar that was close by...we got double apple, and after tasting the sweet, sweet tastes of nakhla i was hooked. bought my own hookah 3 months later, and haven't looked back.
14. Who introduced you?
as i said earlier, a friend of mine.
15. How do you do it? Do you smoke and leave, sit on floor, talk, etc?
depends on the situation. when i'm smoking alone i sit in my comfy chair, hookah sitting on the floor, and watch tv/movie/browse the internet. When i have friends over, or i take my hookah somewhere, it all just depends on where we are, what we feel like doing, the space we have...
16. What do you use in the base?
99.9% of the time straight water. sometimes(and it's very rare) i'll add some juice that's the same flavor, or a complimenting flavor to the tobacco. it's nice to have a little bit of a change up every now and then. i've tried milk, but that ended horribly, and i've tried using like slush(crushed ice and water), and even a little bit of snow mixed in with some water once.
17. The transition from where it started, to the world?
sure? like a couple of these questions, i'm not exactly sure what you're asking.

[Yamin]

1. Age (if confortable stating, I'm trying to generate and avg. range) 18
2. Gender male
3. Ethnicity 100% Iranian
4. Cultural background with the hookah culture, if any(i.e. people of your race have been known to smoke or were the start to it)? Since the dawn of time, the Iranian race has been smoking hookah.
5. Traditional: Is this a tradition to you, will it be passed on to your children...etc...? Yes, this has been a tradition in my family for many years and I will pass it on to my children and everyone who wants to partake in the arts.
6. Reason/why do you do it? Here in Iran, it is a great way to meet girls, relax, and it is excellent for conversation and philosophical thinking.
7. Other tobacco use? (do you smoke cigs or anything else) Nope
8. Origins of the hookah I believe it was India for other reasons.
9. Obsession with? (some people, it's all they talk about) Let's say I'm active in the community.
10. Hookahs in History? (i.e. the hookah in Alice in Wonderland) Everyone and their brother smoke in most middle eastern history...
11. Want to try to list all technical terms/hookah language/definitions. i.e. Shisha is tobacco blended with molasses. No
12. Differences in products? (hookahs/shishas/coals/etc...) Hookahs from the area of their origin are better quality than those that aren't. "No Mya"
13. How did you start? It all started in a wedding when I was 8 years old.
14. Who introduced you? My mom's uncle sat me next to him and told stories, then stuck it to me.
15. How do you do it? Do you smoke and leave, sit on floor, talk, etc? Well, most hookah places here have a small square area with a persian rug ontop and everyone sits there with one leg upright, and the other closer in, underneath indian style.
16. What do you use in the base? Water
17. The transition from where it started, to the world? People like me, spreading the word. Edited February 28, 2008 by Yamin