Since the dawn of history, visitors to Egypt have noticed that the people of Egypt possess a unique set of characteristics that can be called the Egyptian spirit. You might also refer to it as their secret sauce.

The Egyptian spirit is a blend of elation and melancholy. These two sides manifest in different situations. For instance, Egyptians have an innate tendency to dance as soon as they hear good news. They love to express and share their joy, with music, rhythm, and dance being the most explicit ways for them to show these happiness-related emotions. Conversely, in times of sadness, such as mourning, loss, or any calamity, they express their grief through lamentation combined with body language. This method of expressing sadness and grief is deeply rooted in their ancient culture. It dates back to the three days of mourning that Isis and Nephthys spent lamenting the death of Osiris. The ritual of lamentation has been preserved for centuries, where groups of men or women follow the coffin of the deceased to the grave, lamenting the loss and recounting some of the deceased’s good traits.

This dichotomy between happiness and sadness is present in the lives of many modern Egyptians. They display these emotions in the way they handle events like deaths or births in the family. However, they are respectful of the feelings of those who are grieving. If a neighbor is going through a period of grief and someone has a happy event, such as a wedding, to celebrate, traditionally, the celebration is toned down or postponed out of respect for the neighbor’s feelings.

Although their original traditions have been negatively influenced by foreign customs that don’t share the same respect for life, Egyptians love life to the fullest. They have a saying that goes: “الحي أبقى من الميت” which means “The living is more lasting than the dead.”