Hookah Cultures in Different Countries

The very first hookah was invented around the years 1542-1605 A.D., when a court physician in the royal court of India invented a glass instrument created primarily for the smoking aristocracy. This instrument allowed smoke to be passed or filtered through water in order to be "purified". This device soon became popular all throughout India, and this popularity soon spread to other regions around the world.

In the Middle East, the Arab people continually smoke hookah as a part of their culture and traditions. In fact, it has been pointed out many times that the Arab community has the largest number of shisha smokers in the world and concurrently have the most shisha cafes. In the country of Iran, the smoking of hookahs is very popular with the young generation, and a large number of them can be seen smoking in local tea shops. In Israel, smoking the nargila, which is the Israeli term for hookah, is not only a tradition but also a part of their culture. In fact, you can find many shops in Israel selling paraphernalia on most streets and markets, and which cater largely to tourists. A hookah in South Africa is known colloquially as a hubbly bubbly or an okka pipe, and is a social pastime amongst the Cape Malay and Indian populations. The hookah culture has also reached the territories of the United States and Canada, with over 200 hookah cafes that opened for business in the years 2000 to 2004. The hookah culture has truly spread throughout the world, uniting diverse communities and races in the enjoyment of smoking shisha.