Dabqaad
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Dabqaad or Girgire (Somali for fire raiser) is a clay pot with either one or two handles that is found in Somalia and the southern regions of Djibouti.
[edit] Usage and Origin
Dabqaads are used to keep houses fragrant. Just about every Somali household will have a Dabqaad and burn frankincense (Lubaan in Somali) or a special incense stone called Uunsi (the Somali alternative to the Arabian Bukhoor) on top of very hot coal. It is usually lit after big meals like lunch and/or during special occasions (e.g. if someone is expecting guests). The pot is made from white clay found in areas of both Southern and Northern Somalia.
Somalis living in the West get their Dabqaads from visits to the Horn of Africa or they have relatives that dwell in the region send them.
[edit] Other Types of the Dabqaad
The Dabqaad is closely related to the Arabian Mabkhara. The only difference is that the Mabkhara is more elaborately decorated and intricately carved than the Dabqaad. The Mabkhara is widely used amongst Arabs living in the West and across the Middle East (excluding Israel), North Africa and the Magreb.
