Hookahs in South Africa

In South Africa hookahs are spoken about as “hubbly bubbly” and are most commonly found amongst the Cape Malay and other Indian populations of South America that is positive towards smoking as a social activity.

Popularity

While South Africa may not contain a large amount of hookah users compared to other areas of the world there are still a lot of people in South Africa who use hookahs and the popularity is continuing to rise. Teenagers and young adults especially are starting to use hookahs regularly. Many bars have opted to add the possibility of offering their customers hookahs while staying within the bar as it has become a profitable business. Usually smoking from hookahs in South Africa is most commonly done at home or outside at beaches or camp sites or similar outdoor environments.

The terms used to describe various parts of the hookah are also different in South Africa. The clay bowl is referred to as the clay pot, the hoses are referred to as pipes, and the valve used to release air is referred to as the clutch. The design of hookahs in South Africa is generally the same as most across the world but some unique features may be noticeable on hookahs manufactured within South Africa. It’s also believed by some scientists that the early years of hookahs in South Africa dates back to the dagga pipe.