Hookah Subculture/culture

[gr!m]

1. Age (if confortable stating, I'm trying to generate and avg. range) - 21
2. Gender - male
3. Ethnicity - white/german & czeck
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...? - could be, it's a great relaxing hobby in which close friends become even closer.
6. Reason/why do you do it? - relaxation, and to bring friends together without the need of any other entertainment other than the hookah and eachother.
7. Other tobacco use? (do you smoke cigs or anything else) - none
8. Origins of the hookah - the middle east
9. Obsession with? (some people, it's all they talk about) - I love it and talk about it a lot. Over the last 4-6 months it's become a big part of my life.
10. Hookahs in History? (i.e. the hookah in Alice in Wonderland) - I remember the one the caterpillar smoke, but my girlfriend now of 2 + years introduced me and brought us together.
11. Want to try to list all technical terms/hookah language/definitions. i.e. Shisha is tobacco blended with molasses. - no thanks, way too many to list.
12. Differences in products? (hookahs/shishas/coals/etc...) - Many differences, between brands and country of origin.
13. How did you start? - Went to a hookah lounge with my girlfriend.
14. Who introduced you? - My girl Samantha
15. How do you do it? Do you smoke and leave, sit on floor, talk, etc? - Sit at the kitchen table and smoke while on my laptop at hookahfourm...lol.
16. What do you use in the base? - water, sometimes juice or milk to enhance flavor. Once in a while ice.
17. The transition from where it started, to the world? - To be truthful, in the US i would consider it a fad among those who don't bother to research the deep cultural roots.

[HarryTheHookaMaster]

Survey"
1. Age (if confortable stating, I'm trying to generate and avg. range) 40
2. Gender Male
3. Ethnicity 1/2 Dutch, 1/2 Polish
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)? Sorry, nothing...
5. Traditional: Is this a tradition to you, will it be passed on to your children...etc...? Not a tradition, I do smoke with my daughter
6. Reason/why do you do it? Relaxation, enjoyment, conversation
7. Other tobacco use? (do you smoke cigs or anything else) I love cigars!
8. Origins of the hookah I know it started in the Middle East somewhere...
9. Obsession with? (some people, it's all they talk about) I would not say that I am obsessed with it. I do have a life! LOL! It is something that I do talk about when I am asked.
10. Hookahs in History? (i.e. the hookah in Alice in Wonderland) No idea...
11. Want to try to list all technical terms/hookah language/definitions. i.e. Shisha is tobacco blended with molasses. Not really!
12. Differences in products? (hookahs/shishas/coals/etc...) I don't really see a big difference in pipes. Some people will disagree but I have smoked from high-end KM's and shitty pipes and I have to say that there is really not that much of a difference IMHO. I do think there is a difference in shishas (between brands). There is a BIG difference in coals!
13. How did you start? I was stationed in Iraq as a Firefighter. Some of the guys at the station were sitting out smoking one night. They showed me the way of the hookah. I have been hooked! I was afraid that when I came back to the states that I would not be able to find supplies for my new habit. I was surprised to find that it was popular here as well.
14. Who introduced you? See above
15. How do you do it? Do you smoke and leave, sit on floor, talk, etc? I sit in my garage or on my patio with my friends and/or daughter. We sit and talk about anything and everything.
16. What do you use in the base? Ice water mostly, I have used fruit juice in the past, sometimes Merlot wine.
17. The transition from where it started, to the world? ???????

[jordanneff]

"Survey"
1. Age: 20
2. Gender: Male
3. Ethnicity: Caucasian (aka 'whitey') Mostly german, parts polish, english, and irish
4. Cultural background: None
5. Traditional: I started it but if I ever have kids I'll let them smoke when they're of age (or close to it)
6. Reason/why do you do it? Relaxing, social activity, flavor, plus it makes me that much sexier
7. Other tobacco use? Nope
8. Origins of the hookah: I wrote a bigass reseach paper on this. Apparently it was created in India but only became popular after reaching Turkey and the turks made it famous.
9. Obsession with? Moderately low, though sometimes Ill go on rants about how awesome some flavor is
10. Hookahs in History? None I know of other than the caterpillar.
11. Want to try to list all technical terms/hookah language/definitions: Hookah: A water pipe used for smoking... shisha: (typically) flavored tobacco mixed with molasses and/or honey. Bowl/head: small clay/glass bowl on the top where the shisha is placed. Base: A typically glass vase where the liquid is placed. Stem: the long metal pipe that goes from the bowl to the base with hose inserts in the middle. Hose: Simply that, a hose - used to suck in the smoke. Coals: ...coals like for the BBQ but just not a shit-ton of chemicals. Tongs: metal device similar to BBQ tongs used to hold/move around the coals.
12. Differences in products? Hmm, quick light coals have a chemical coating that burns off but evenly lights the coals in about 2 minutes whereas natural coals are completely natural but take up to 10 minutes to fully light.
13. How did you start? My friends ex-girlfriend took me to the hookah bar because I had never smoked anything before and I decided hookahs sounded interesting.
14. Who introduced you? ^
15. How do you do it? 9 out of 10 times I smoke with friends, usually play a game or watch a movie or just plain chill and talk about stuff. When I smoke alone I typically either watch a movies or am outside stargazing and just plain chillin it.
16. What do you use in the base? Mostly water (a lot of times with ice cubes). Every once and a whille I'll add a cap full of milk.
17. The transition from where it started, to the world? It started in India, got popular in Turkey where the Turks made the design better, really hit off around 1620 during the time of Murat the IV'th, since then has slowly become a staple of middle eastern culture and a very important part of daily life. Since the mid to late 1800s it has very slowly started to pop up in other places such as europe, asia, the americas, and australia but has not started to become a popular subculture in these areas until the late 20th century. Edited February 29, 2008 by jordanneff

[r1v3th3ad]

awesome, thanks guys, really like your number 17 jordan

[r1v3th3ad]

just thought I'd pop in for an update....
working on first part of three part partfolio paper now...allnighter ahead and I don't have my hookah with me to inspire me some more...just a coffee maker and a lot of coffee

[Canon]

at least you have hookahforum for inspiration

[r1v3th3ad]

lol yup
roast some for me...I've been sniffing that sample of wild mango and dying to try it...it only I could make a hookah and what not for it lol
I'm such a procrastinater, its the night before its due and I'm doing three fourths of the work now lol, I always do this.
I'll hop in later, my girl is getting on now to review the interview as its assigned someone from the outside looks in on it.

[Voski]

1. Age - 19
2. Gender - Male
3. Ethnicity - Armenian
4. Cultural background - It is a middle eastern thing and my parents are from Iran.
5. Traditional - None of the older people in my family smoke hookah. If my kids want to smoke its not a big deal for me.
6. Reason/why do you do it? - Its and enjoyable social experience and its relaxing too.
7. Other tobacco use? - None
8. Origins of the hookah - I believe its middle eastern and um they werent used for tobacco either.
9. Obsession with? - I'm not one to turn down a session....ever!
10. Hookahs in History? - if you ask my dad he will say NHT
11. Want to try to list all technical terms/hookah language/definitions. i.e. Shisha is tobacco blended with molasses. - stem, heart, base, neck, bowl, hose, purge valve, hose port, tray, grommets, jesus?
12. Differences in products? - Hookahs don't differ much if you ask me its all generally the same thing. Tobacco comes washed or unwashed, some brands are way overpriced, some are great tasting, some taste like shit. The only good QL I have used is 3 kings and I prefer naturals.
13. How did you start? At a kick back 1-2 years ago.
14. Who introduced you? Middle school friend
15. How do you do it? Do you smoke and leave, sit on floor, talk, etc? Smoke with friends untill we decide to do something else or smoke some more.
16. What do you use in the base? Water and ice sometimes. I have tried milk and fruit juices and stuff and it doesnt make that much of a difference.
17. The transition from where it started, to the world? vat

[r1v3th3ad]

Thanks Voski awesome, helps on the long run.

I just got done with the first part out of three. It was doing "boxes" out of a book...kinda lame, but I used info generated in these "interviews" for most of them. This section I will only be able to put up for everyone to view if I scan and save every page etc...a lot there. Most of it is just bs stuff that is teaching skills in research writing, but one thing I will get up from this for you guys is my glossary w/ definitions section that I just got done writing.
Part two coming up, generating the actual paper 4-5 pages double spaced. Instead of it being a normal paper, we break it down into sub-categories and be in format like the one on this page... http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/fieldworki...uid=0&rau=0
Thats not that hard, its just organizing my thoughts and information, deciding what is important and not...and what I hate is that I'm limited, I wanted to use everything from these interviews and make charts and all, but she said not to bother...maybe in my spare time over the next few weeks I'll make a finalization based off of what you guys gave me, I owe it to you all and myself. But at the moment that is not getting done since its not required, its 240 am, and I have a class at 8am.

The last section is a 2 page reflection with guided questions already given...cakewalk


catch up with ya later, back to the grind

[Bulldog_916]

Make sure you help your school and classmates know that practically every hookah smoker on these forums understands the dangers of what we're doing. I'm seeing too much of the uneducated studies that exploit the lack of knowledge in the general population to help drive the danger fear home. Double underline this point. Thanks.

[r1v3th3ad]

I'll go back in a bit to edit that into my personal log in the paper, just finished that and am now writing the world's smallest works cited page. After that is time for a two page reflection and then going back and loading hookah images with details of whats what

thanks, I would have totally missed that

[Bulldog_916]

Thanks bro, I appreciate it.

[r1v3th3ad]

Done.
Just edited it into the section that is my personal history with the hookah and my affiliation with other hookah users/their edjamacateing me

Also just finished reflection and time to start copy and pasting pics of bowls, hookahs, stems etc...damn I've been up 24hrs so far and won't get to sleep for another 13 due to classes all day...when I get back to my place after this first class in 1 1/2 hrs, I'm drinking some beer. If I'm going this long without sleep to class and barely comprehensible, might as well get drunk

[Bg_Nick_808]

"Survey"
1. 21
2. Male
3. Isralei,Samoan and Turkish
4. it is in my family heritage but im not exactly sure where it began
5. it has been a tradition for me since i was 11
6. i smoke with my dad and brothers and used to smoke with my grandpa before he passed away
7. the occasional cigar with a glass of scotch
8. middle eastern im sorry i dont know my culture very well
9. pretty much the variety of flavors and the family like fellowship of smokers
10. couldnt tell you much if anything
11. ummmm a argile is the stem lol
12. you get what you pay for
13. my dad just basically told me to sit down with the men and smoke the day i turned 11
14. dad 2 uncles grandpa and great grandpa
15. sit on mats and smoke and talk to family or friends
16. water or kool aid
17. my guess is through travel or war