Smelling the Breeze: An ancient Egyptian tradition reborn
Egyptians everywhere participate in this holiday that dates back to the ancient Egyptian celebration of فصل الربيع (faṣl al-rabī’, spring).
Modern Egyptians celebrate شم النسيم (shamm al-nasīm) by dressing up and enjoying time out of doors with their families, often taking a day trip to a park or along the banks of نهر النيل (nahr al-nīl, the Nile river). The scent of the holiday is made unmistakable by the consumption of a pungent combination of فسيخ (fasīkh, salted and dried mullet fish) and البصل الأخضر (al-baṣal al-akhḍar, scallions), both of which held special significance for the ancient Egyptians.
Egyptians also follow their ancient ancestors’ tradition by boiling and coloring eggs for شم النسيم (shamm al-nasīm). In Paraonic times, these may have been hung in temples as decoration, and as a symbol of the regeneration of life associated with فصل الربيع. (faṣl al-rabī’, spring). Today, Egyptians have added other treats from Easter celebrations around the world to the fun of شم النسيم (shamm al-nasīm).
