I Love I Hate I Miss My Sister (14 page)

I hope
I Love I Hate I Miss My Sister
sparks conversations about civil liberties for girls and women—and the ways we can fight to prevent violence against women globally.

GLOSSARY

Algeria:
A country in North Africa, located between Morocco and Tunisia, on the Mediterranean coast. Its capital is Algiers, and the official language is Arabic. From 1830 to 1962, Algeria was a French colony, which is why there are many Algerian immigrants in France and why many French are of Algerian descent.

Allah:
Arabic for “God.”

babouche:
A heelless slipper that comes in a wide variety of colors, usually made of leather with embroidery and/or other decorative flourishes.

burka:
A full-body cloak worn by Muslim women.

darbuka
:
A single-membrane drum with a goblet-shaped body, larger at the top and tapered toward the bottom. The
instrument is used mostly in the Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe.

djellaba:
A loose-fitting robe with a pointy hood that is worn by men and women, especially in Morocco, but also in all North African countries where Arabic is spoken. The garment is made of cotton for summer and wool for winter.

hamdullah
:
Arabic for “praise to Allah,” this expression is often said after finishing a meal.

hana
:
Arabic for “grandmother.”

hijab:
A head scarf worn by Muslim women when in the presence of men unrelated to them. It typically covers the forehead, hair, and neck, though many variations exist. Sometimes the entire face is hidden, with only the eyes visible.

imam:
The prayer leader in a mosque, always a man.

inshallah
:
Arabic for “God willing.”

Islam:
A monotheistic religion that follows the teachings of the Koran.

jadi
:
Arabic for “grandfather.”

Koran:
The main religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be the actual word of Allah.

Mecca:
Located in the Middle East country of Saudi Arabia, Mecca is considered the holiest city in the Islamic religion. It is the birthplace of Mohammed, the prophet to whom the Koran was revealed. Muslims try to make at least one pilgrimage (known as the Hajj) to Mecca in their lifetime.

Mohammed:
Considered the last prophet of Allah in the Islamic religion.

muezzin:
The person who leads the call to prayer in a mosque.

Muslim:
A person whose religious faith is Islam.

Ramadan:
The ninth month of the Islamic calendar is observed worldwide as a month of fasting. From dawn to sunset, Muslims refrain from consuming food, drinking liquids, smoking, and sexual relations, and, in some interpretations of the Koran, from swearing.

Salaam alaikum
:
An Arabic greeting used by Muslims worldwide. Roughly translated, it means “Peace be with you”—used as the equivalent of “hello” or “good day” in English.

surah:
A chapter of the Koran, of which there are 114.

tagine:
A traditional dish of North Africa—a stew of meat and vegetables—slow-cooked in a special dome-shaped earthen pot from which the dish takes its name.

youyou
:
A cadenced, piercing cry emitted by Muslim women during special ceremonies such as weddings and funerals.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amélie Sarn has written numerous novels and comic books in her native France, as well as the picture-book adaptation of Sylvain Chomet’s animated film
The Triplets of Belleville
.