Khalid Tawalbeh
Doha
The Holy Month of Ramadan has long been connected with unique customs and traditions that differ from one country to another with certain peculiarities that distinguish it from other months.
The common attribute to all cultures is the opportunity to see Ramadan as a season not only to enjoy a variety of delectable dishes but also to promote social cohesion and a sense of community among families and individuals.
Qataris are especially eager to revive the unique fasting month customs, some of which are shared with many other nations.
Popular among such customs maintained by the people of Qatar until today are ‘Al Ghabqa’, which is considered a night feast, and ‘Garangoa’ night, a children celebration which falls in the middle of Ramadan.
According to folklore researcher Dr Ahmad Al Tayeb, Ramadan customs and traditions are still cherished in Qatar, despite the social changes caused by globalisation and these customs are similar in the Arab Gulf countries.
“The Qatari folk traditions have preserved their character unchanged and they are still being practised as the ancients did, including the collective Iftar with the family throughout the days of Ramadan and ‘Al Ghabqa’ feast, which brings family and friends together at a night table, the time of which begins after the Taraweeh prayer, which the people of Qatar, men and women, are keen to perform in mosques,” he said.
He added, “Al Ghabqa feast includes various types of fish, especially grilled and fried, and rice cooked with date extract and tharid meal, which mixes crumbled bread, meat and broth, as well as many types of sweets, including Luqaimat and Aseeda, as well as dates, tea and coffee.
“Marking ‘Al Ghabqa’ in Qatar is not limited to families, friends and relatives at home, as it has moved to hotels and Ramadan tents, as organisations invite their employees to this feast, which is an opportunity to strengthen relations between managers and employees.”
Speaking about the extent to which Ramadan customs are preserved in Qatar, writer and storyteller Nada Al Dosari, went down the memory lane from her childhood during the mid-1980s when satellite TV channels, cell phones and various social networking sites were not available, and people gave time to family members.
“That period witnessed customs and traditions that are almost absent today. I remember that my mother used to make tortillas in the traditional way without using power tools, mashing by beating the grains and cutting the meat into a saucepan, and she sometimes asked us to help her with these tasks,” she said.
“One of the customs that have almost disappeared and is brought in relative form in some areas is the exchange of the Ramadan dishes between neighbours. About half an hour before Iftar, we would take plates full of food to the neighbours, and they were often soup or puree dishes and others,” she said.
“In return, the lady in the neighbour’s house would provide us with a meal she has prepared, so when the family sits around the mat that was spread on the floor, before the advent tables and chairs, everywhere was full of food prepared at home and those brought from the neighbour’s house.”
Dosari added, “The number of hours parents spend with their children and grandchildren increases during Ramadan. As the middle of Ramadan approaches, preparations would begin to celebrate the the Garangao night, in which we used to bring out young men and women to sing the old songs.
“It is nice that this custom still exists in Qatar and the Gulf, as the Qatari media continue to celebrate the occasion, which is considered one of the beautiful things that count for Qatari society. The most famous place people go to is Souq Waqif.”
This year, several Qatari institutions have prepared special programmes to celebrate this occasion, with the aim of bringing joy to the souls of children, so the young ones return to chanting special songs for this popular Ramadan tradition.
Regarding the impact of globalisation on the Ramadan customs of the people of Qatar, Dosari said, “Despite the winds of modernisation, societies still adhere to some of their customs, and we cannot ignore the great progress achieved by mankind in transportation and communications that have spawned satellite TV, mobile phones and others. As we cannot reject globalisation, we should invest it in a good form and employ it for our benefit, knowing that its impact is not entirely negative and not positive either.”
“Today, satellite channels occupy the attention of Arab and, of course, Qatari people, with more than 1,200 channels competing in providing contents,” she said.
As for the method of instilling good habits in children, writer Ahmed Taleb Al Shobaki called for development of a course curriculum dealing with social relations.
He said, “The curriculum of the Ministry of Education provides scientific materials in Arabic, mathematics, science and others that are useful in enhancing functional abilities in the future, but what is required is to develop an educational material that deals with lifestyle that varies from one educational stage to another, and includes customs, traditions and other responsibilities in the family.”
He added, “When one of my Iraqi friends wanted to complete his studies in the United States to get a professor’s level, he found a course on social behaviour among the classes and he wanted to skip it, but the university administration refused because the subject is within the educational system that the student needs in his life.
“From here, it is necessary to add a course that calls for instilling these habits and teaching children the things they need in their family life to benefit from the positive side of globalisation and preserve the customs and traditions of Qatari society.”
He pointed out that the Ministry of Culture, through the Heritage and Identity Department, contributes to enhancing the identity of community members through various programmes, along with the Katara Cultural Village, Souq Waqif Foundation, museums and others implementing the Qatar National Vision 2030.
