Wasta translates roughly to "connections" or "influence" and the Arabic origin means "intermediate". Basically a wasta (also known as vitamin W) is a very influential person with good connections who can get things rolling for you. The wasta can be a relative, a friend, a business acquaintance or in some cases even a stranger.
With good wasta a person can get practically anything done. Wasta can be more valuable than money. Having wasta makes life in Saudi much easier for the person with it, but for those without it or those impacted by their actions, it does the opposite. Wasta could be described also as the root of corruption.
A wasta is sort of like a genie in a bottle, but better. Instead of three wishes you can get as many as you wish!
Watch this educational and funny video to find out exactly what is meant by the power of vitamin W...
LOL! I loved your wasta link! My husband has access to some good wasta, but has too much honor to use it for his benefit. I love his honor more than his wasta! lol!
ReplyDeleteWasta is a funny thing here I did a post about it to awhile ago lol Saudis are something else :p
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a corruptive tool..
ReplyDeletein love with dis... do drop time on my blog too...
ReplyDeleteLMAO It is unfortunate that this is what people need to get what they want, whether it be marriage, a job, getting land etc it is very sad indeed
ReplyDeleteKris-you've got one honorable man! Would he use it in emergency cases though?
ReplyDeleteNoor-yes, they are :D
ReplyDeleteMaharukh-thanks for stopping by, nice blog you have :)
ReplyDeleteAngel-true, it's sad and it corrupts society, and it's also unfair to people who try to do things on their own, have someone with wasta come and take that from you.
ReplyDeleteI sure do Laylah! He does use it to help other people though.
ReplyDeleteI use to think arabia have monopoly over WASTA but in fact recently I found an interesting example of WASTA in the EU.
ReplyDeleteIn the Wikileaks Wasta said to be wide spread in Greece. Wasta there called (MESON) and this quote from Wikileaks from US embassy in Athens:
''Using one's friends in high places to get something done that otherwise would be impossible -- a practice called "meson" -- is such a standard practice that it is sometimes difficult for even the most forthright Greek to know where the corruption line exists''
http://wikileaks.org/cable/2006/02/06ATHENS369.html#
So Wasta may be had been transmitted to Arabia through the translated Greeks books centuries ago.
Abdullah of Arabia-thanks for sharing the interesting example, I was not aware of this.
ReplyDelete