Vintage vehicles at the cultural extravaganza yesterday.
DOHA: Qatari traditional life was recreated yesterday at a cultural extravaganza that marked the beginning of this year’s National Day celebrations falling on December 18.
The events were held at Darb Al Saee, the special pavilion close to the Sports Roundabout in Al Sadd.
The inaugural ceremony saw a performance by a group of pearl divers carrying diving gear and a box of pearls demonstrating Qatar’s pearl driving tradition.
They visited ancient souqs selling horses and camels and bought a horse in exchange for a few pearls re-enacting the barter system in those days. They also met with bystanders and offered their pearls for sale. Children wearing traditional attire recited folk songs and a large group of youngsters performed folk songs as well as patriotic songs. The activities will continue until National Day.
A row of traditional houses named Al Muqattar have been set up at the venue to showcase the old rural life of Qatar. Women in traditional dresses were doing the day-to-day household chores by using old techniques like the millstone.
A place called Al Azbah has been set up there to teach the visitors, especially the youngsters, on how to tie a camel and prepare it for riding. The life in the desert with camels, away from the family, is called Al Azbah. Al Farij pavilion displays the historical milestones in Qatar as well as folk games in the form of paintings. Some artists were busy in the pavilion painting such events.
Goods being sold at Souq Waqif are available in a big replica of the Souq at Darb Al Saee. These outlets sell perfumes, fragrances, wood, women’s ornaments, traditional furniture and household items.
Artisans are there to show visitors how the wooden boxes, clothes and earthen pots were made in the old days before the invention of the modern techniques. The Peninsula
