DOHA the second edition of the annual Festival of Halal Qatar, now comes on on Katara, while mainly revolve around the breeding of cattle, also as an excellent opportunity to showcase a wider range of activities and products of Qatar's heritage.
It is of great value for those interested in local history and culture, so we went to the festival looking to connect with some of these cultural manifestations.
Several people involved in the presentation of different aspects of the country provided insightful comments on the heritage.
Abdullah al Kwari is an authority on the breeding of sheep and goats. An old man, he is a consultant in the type field.
Underline the important role that these animals have played in the history of Qatar, he said "Halal is our word for these animals, goats and sheep, and they are traditionally with us and they continue to this day are important in our lives.
"The Bedouins took them for their wool, their milk, which she butter and other food substances, as well as their meat.
Many of the races can be imported from abroad, but they lived here for a long time, perhaps hundreds of years. They were scattered all over the GCC by these Bedouins, and there is a strong link between them and the people in this region. " He was referring to the changes in methods for breeding the animals, noting that "back in the olden days, the animals are, of course, in the desert, close to oases where they can graze. Today they are bred in pens or in barn-like enclosures.
"It's not as easy as some might think. One would have to spend years learning about raising the animals and their understanding, I suggest, and then could bring them properly. One would have to know that the animals graze, what kind of things they eat, and even be able to tell if they are good or ill were based on their behavior. " Abdullah listed the different types of animals (many of those exhibited in Qatar are Halal), and described some of the characteristics of each, adding that "there are goats and sheep here. The goats are of different races, including Shami (or Damascene), Alkamori, Aaridhi, Assihiyah, Persian, Al and R or Omani goats.
"The goats originated in Shami Al Sham (the Levant countries such as Lebanon and Syria, or Cyprus) and are great, and have thick, dark hair, and long ears.
Assihiyahs, in contrast, hairless, and come in many different colors, including black, white and red. These are very common in the South of the Arabian peninsula, as in Oman.
"Persian goats are small and covered with thick hair, and they live in the mountains, in Iraq and Iran.
They are known for the quality of their hair, that can be woven into the fabric. Alkamori originated in India, but are comfortable in hot, humid climates, and produce a lot of milk.
"Aaridhi goats are well known in Qatar for his tough, and can endure the fluctuations of a desert climate. They are often black, produce a lot of milk and have long, straight hair that can also be used for making textile.
Rahbi goats come from Oman, and come in a range of colors, from light brown to black. These are known for being very fleshy. " He continued, "Arab sheep are the most common here, are large in size, and come in a variety of colors. They have no horns, but many produce milk.
All Harya sheep originated in the Arabian peninsula, and are usually pale color, and are known for the proceeds of a lot of meat. NEJD sheep are also popular here, and are believed to have originated in the peninsula.
They are usually black, with a white head. They have a lot of stamina, and produce a lot of milk.
"There are two breeds of sheep from Africa that we have here, is a known as Al Bershen are white with specks of black or Brown, and produce plenty of milk. The other is Arfidya, sometimes called Tamtam and its small and hornless. Syrian sheep have many soft wool, and produce a lot of milk, and are more common in the Northern Arabian Peninsula. " Abdullah al H made bird falling out of wood, a skill he learned when he was a child.
He started with a discussion of the bird traps, and made an important note about events such as Halal Qatar.
"This is a traditional bird trap.
When it rains, in the winter, many birds tend to migrate to Qatar, and continue until the spring. When people would hunt these birds as a hobby, and the majority of Qataris, if they are old enough, a reminder of the use of traps like this would have.
"When these people walk by and see me make these traps, they are nostalgic, it brings back fond memories of their youth, when they used to use this contraption.
Some stop and talk to me about the old days, and cover a story they remind themselves of their younger days. It makes them happy, thinking of the good old days, so I enjoy here and work on this fall, "said Abdullah.
um Abdallah was involved in the weaving of palm fronds on a stand, as she does every day. She said "I learned to weave Palms like this when I was ten years old, as a hobby. I've been doing it for many years, and making baskets, and other things, as you can see here. I learned it from my mother and grandmother, and my aunts also woven Palms like this. " Daily performance of ' ardha, the most famous dance of Qatar, are performed during the Halal Qatar.
Ba'eij Khalifa is one of the performers of the ' ardha, the lulua (or Pearl) ensemble. He has run the dance for more than 25 years.
He expressed his joy at being a part of the festival, and his great appreciation for his heritage, stating that "the heritage the original identity.
As you can see, there are so many people here! This, I think, is because people have an affinity for an annex to their history and their heritage, that is our origin and identity.
Discussion on ' ardha in particular, Khalifa added "thanks to God who ' ardha is is well maintained here in Qatar, and you could say it's our national dance.
The proof of this is that every year, there are games for all ages, even children know the ' ardha. If people who are not familiar with this dance, or visitors from abroad, they are always curious and they ask us about it. And we tell them that the ' ardha is carried out at official, formal events and weddings. We are proud of this facet of our heritage. "
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