A taste of Ramadan: Souk Bazaar at Centre Communautaire Sainte-Anne

Riham and her twin sister, Bayan Al Khalaf, with their mother, Salwa Khalil Saj, from Syria, sell their traditional food for the first time.  Salwa Khalil Saj gave permission to interview her 17-year-old daughter, Bayan Al Khalaf.

At Centre Communautaire Sainte-Anne, two large banners with Ramadan at each end of the Cafétorium de l'École des Bâtisseurs greeted Fredericton locals on Saturday, Jan. 31.

A souk — the Arabic word for marketplace — is traditionally a lively community space where vendors sell homemade food, crafts and everyday goods while neighbours gather to socialize. The Souk Bazaar adapts that tradition for Fredericton, creating a cultural marketplace that highlights Middle Eastern and Muslim-owned small businesses, particularly women newcomers.

Communautaire Sainte-Anne was an ideal location for visitors to sample traditional Ramadan food and build relationships with the Isalamic community, with Arabic music playing as kids enjoyed face paintings, henna and cake decorating.

Riham Al Khalaf greeted visitors in English, French and Arabic with a wide-eyed smile as visitors sampled their cultural food. Al Khalaf and her twin sister were helping their mother, Salwa Khalil Saj, sell traditional Ramadan food for the first time. 

Syrian Delight, Sweet and Celery, and Salwa Khalil Saj’s traditional Ramadan food stands were amongst the vendors that sold out. Sweet & Celery and Codac NB provided the children with a cake decorating activity, a memory of Ramadan.

During Ramadan, which lasts from Feb. 17 to March 19 this year, Muslims or people who observe Ramadan fast from sunrise to sunset. 

Al Khalaf describes a typical Ramadan meal for her family as eating a sweet dessert, then chicken and rice.

Huda Ahmed, originally from Yemen, was the lead organizer for the event. 

This marked her fifth Souk Bazaar, which focuses on providing support to women newcomers into the community and workplace. 

Ahmed also did this type of work in Yaman, Thailand and Saudi Arabia. 

Chirine Said, a proud Lebanese Canadian and coordinator of the Souk Bazaar, said that Ramadan is very important as fasting is one of “the biggest rituals.” 

Chirine Said, coordinator of the Souk Bazaar, along with Huda Ahmed, the lead organizer. (Credit: Peter Gross)

For Said, Communautaire Sainte-Anne is a great community-building partner, mentioning that many of the Muslim and Arab children attend French school there. 

She said that her children are trilingual, speaking English, French and Arabic.   

Hannadi Al Haj Ali with Syrian Delight serves up Basbosah, one of the creamy desserts. (Photo credit: Peter Gross)

During Ramadan, they usually break their fast with “something sweet, like dates,” boosting their energy after fasting all day. This is followed by prayers to Allah and thanking him for the day. 

They go on to have “a bowl of soup,” and a salad such as fattoush and tabouli. She said that before sunrise, in the middle of the night, she wakes up, prays and has granola with dates and yogurt, which is called Suhoor to begin the fast.