Story: The Sawwas of Damascus

Souq Al Hamadiya in Damascus is a labyrinth like indoor market bustling with activity. After the baking heat of the streets of Damascus, I was happy to wander round this shaded covered market.

Whilst walking round this historic Souq, I came across several colourfully dressed men carrying intricately designed silver or brass tanks strapped on their backs. Wearing Ottoman era styled outfits, complete with baggy pantaloons, embroidered waistcoats, pointed leather slippers and red tarboosh or fez hats, they walk proudly round the wide corridors of this covered market. I discovered these were juice vendors, or Sawwas as they are called locally. Of all the juice vendors I came across in the Middle East, these must be the most entertaining. The engraved tanks are decorated with strings of coins and beads which make a clinking noise to announce his presence to passersby. A thick brass holder round his waist serves as a carrier for a row of small glasses and a brass water jug hangs on the side. The bittersweet licorice flavoured drink laden with sugar, called sous, is thick and has the colour of dark syrup. The vendor puts on an entertaining show of rinsing and splashing water to cleanse the glasses. He then bows slightly forward thus enabling the juice to be poured from the long decorative funnel at the bottom part of the tank and then handed to the waiting customer with flourish. This is very refreshing after the scorching heat of the midday sun in busy Damascus.

The sawwas chats and jokes to his customers while they drink, then collects the glasses and starts the rinsing routine over again. It seems that the vendors are used to being photographed because they happily pose and show off their ‘cocktail bartender’ routine with the glasses and splashing water. With more ceremonial clinking, he disappeared into the crowds of shoppers to attract more thirsty customers.