Abu Abbas earns local fame in Basra for 10-foot feast platter

BASRA — A resident of Al-Zubair district in Basra has gained recognition not for wealth or official position, but for a massive custom-made serving dish used in tribal feasts.

The man, identified as Abu Abbas Al-Jamali, told 964media that the dish was manufactured over six months in a border area between Iran and Russia.

It weighs 180 kilograms empty and has a diameter of 3.25 meters, or over 10 feet. Transported to Iraq on a truck, the dish cost more than five million Iraqi dinars ($3,518).

“It takes four bags of rice and 13 lambs to fill the dish,” Abu Abbas said. “It was made to reflect the values of generosity in the Jamamila clan of the Al-Muntafij tribe.”

The dish requires more than 35 people to lift when full, and was most recently used a month ago during a feast attended by notables from Bani Sukain, Bani Malik, and the Khafaja tribe.

“We raise sheep and slaughter them to honor our guests at any time,” he added.

Saeed Al-Khafaji, a leader from the Khafaja tribe, said, “Generosity is rooted in every person, and Abu Abbas is known in Basra for this generosity. He has honored the Jamamila clan and the larger Arab tribes known for their hospitality.”