Qatar's traditions go a long way back, and the country showcases a rich history of culture, arts, traditional handcrafts, weaving, dance and more! In the early days, from being a pearling nation and a hub for the purple dyeing industry, Qatar has always thrived creatively.
The ILoveQatar.net (ILQ) team lists some of the arts and crafts of Qatar that you should know.
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Even with the advancements in the fabric industry, the age-old technique of Al Sadu weaving is still practised in Qatar today. It has long been a female activity, and this traditional weaving technique uses raw materials like cotton, camel and goat hair, sheep wool, etc. It's done with tools called meghzal, el nul and elmansaza. The final output of this technique is fabrics with striking patterns and geometric shapes, often featuring the colours white, red and black.
Arabic calligraphy gained popularity with the rise of Islam, especially while transcribing the Holy Quran. This art form uses a graceful form of writing, and you can see it etched and adorned at many places in Qatar today.
Some places where you can see or find this form of art are the Museum of Islamic Art, as modern sculptures on some murals around the country, and you can also take part in many workshops at the various museums, Katara Cultural Village and more here too!
Palm-frond weaving, or Al Khous as it is traditionally called, is one of the oldest human crafts. Experienced weaves make stunning bags, baskets, mats and more. You can spot these at places like Souq Waqif, traditional Qatari homes and other markets.
Gypsum has been used in Qatar because of its ability to resist extreme weather conditions, and this is carved into elaborate decorative patterns to adorn mosques, palaces, houses, windows and door frames in the country. Traditionally, objects like incense burners were also crafted from gypsum.
Pottery is a very important art medium in Qatar. Earlier products made from pottery were used for cooking, food preservation, water storage, and other purposes. These varied in size and shape, and so did their usage.
For example, a huge pot-like shaped object called Al Qursha was used to cool and store water.
Henna is a natural dye that is obtained from grinding henna leaves. Qatari women have traditionally used this body art form for many centuries. Today, intricate patterns are used to decorate the skin for special occasions like Eid, wedding celebrations and more.
Being a pearl-diving nation, Qatar is also known for goldsmithing using precious and semi-precious stones, pearls, etc. This is one of Qatar's oldest crafts, and certain families who excelled in a particular skill set were given the tribe name after the craft. Jewellery design is an industry that continues to thrive in Qatar, with more and more young talents coming up in the field.
Embroidery is a traditional handicraft of Qatar, where intricate patterns are created using needlework. One such method is an-naqdah, which uses gold and silver threads to make beautiful patterns. Qatari women wear this style of embroidery on fabrics as a hijab for weddings. Qatari brands like Moonlight Concept use this art form to make some of their creations today.
Ardha is the most popular traditional sword dance of Qatar that has been prominent since time immemorial. In the early days, tribes performed it before a battle, and today, you can see men performing Ardha at weddings, cultural events, Eid, Qatar National Day and more.
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Source: Katara Cultural Village, Visit Qatar, CNN Travel, Google Arts & Culture
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