I totally missed the graffiti, but two bloggers did not.Leila wondered: “Does the graffiti on the left side of the picture, on the white cabinet (news kiosk?) say "Al za'eem malek al-hareem?" And does that mean "the zaeem (feudal overlords, militia leaders, big guys) are kings of the shameful/forbidden? or is it harems?”
And Diamond in the Sunlight said “Did you read the graffiti? "Al-za3im malik al-7areem". I don't know which za'im the writer intended - maybe its clearer if you know the neighborhood - but its a hoot nonetheless.”
So what does it say in graffiti on this picture? This one was taken on Hamra Street (West-beirut).
1 comment:
"alzaim" here simply refers to "the boss" who is the "king of the women or ladies" "malek el hareem", rhyme (and sarcasm) is used to describe this man who is a charmer of the ladies. Showing off his manhood by expressing his conquests in "women-hood"... something like that. Hareem used to be used to refer to the concubines of the kings in earlier days of Arab and Ottoman history.
This graffitti does not seem to have any political connotation. Boys and men in Lebanon use the 'malek el hareem' or 'malek el sex' to describe each other, especially if one is known to be ladies man...
Post a Comment