108 CultureShock! Egypt
Households and Houses
Although lifestyles vary considerably by social class and
economic conditions, Egyptian tradition fosters extended
family ties. It is not uncommon to find three generations
of a family living in the same dwelling, whether rural or
urban. The best way to look at it is that the more the family
can live close together, the better. This means that a family
may purchase several flats in the same building, have a villa
with separate areas for individual families, live in a village
comprised of male relatives with their families, or even live
in one flat with separate rooms for individual families. This
tradition provides both financial and emotional support for
its members.
In urban areas, small, but distinct, areas (called quarters)
developed around family groups. New conditions, created by
rapid development and increasing urbanisation, challenge
the ability of many families to maintain traditional living
standards. Indeed, crowded conditions in the city also
make it harder for urban families to stay together in their
family’s area of the city. As a result, marriages are delayed
until couples can find the financial resources for alternative
living arrangements. More and more frequently, marriages
cannot be made until the man has sufficient money to get
living quarters separate from his family.
When a man marries, his new wife is expected to leave
her natal family and move in with his. The distance may not
be far, but marriage for a woman means leaving her familial
ties and moving into an established family with which she
has no or few ties or history.
Traditionally, the new bride came under the control and
direction of her mother-in-law who was responsible for the
house and household functions. Since the senior woman
in the house basically ran the household, daughters-in-
law would be directed by their mother-in-law in many
aspects of daily living. One may be told to go to market;
another to do the cooking for the family; while a third did
laundry. Certainly, many women were mistreated under
this system. Others were treated equitably to maintain
household harmony.