Katara presents Qatar’s First Traditional Dhow Exhibition Taking a journey back in time to discover new depths of local history Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, The Emir of Qatar, Katara, the Cultural Village, today announced the five day Dhow Exhibition that will kick start on Tuesday 15th November. The launch of this initiative marks the First Traditional Dhow Exhibition to hit the region, showcasing over 60 different dhows from across the Gulf. The exhibition honours the traditional form of transportation across the shores of the Arabian Gulf, recognizing the importance of the Dhow in Qatari culture. For the last 13 centuries, dhows were used as the main trading vessels sailing to India and East Africa and were commonly used by fishermen and pearl divers. President of Katara, Abdulrahman Al-Khulaifi said: “We are proud to host this event which honours our cultural heritage. The Dhow Exhibition provides us with a fantastic opportunity to promote Qatari history to the world while also educating and sharing our legacy with the younger Qatari generation. Katara is committed to fostering a community and providing a platform for world renowned arts and culture and this exhibition contributes to our long term vision to educate, entertain and demonstrate the importance of cultural exchange.” The exhibition will provide a window into the past, inviting the public to meet and greet the owners and crews of the Dhows who will share secrets of their travels. Katara and in an effort to preserve the Qatari and Gulf culture will provide the dhows with long term maintenance, all of which contributes to Katara’s long term goal of nurturing local traditions. In addition to the well preserved dhows on display, Katara will host a variety of events including performances of traditional music by renowned regional bands, a Pearl Diving competition, Damah Competition, Children’s workshops and museum displays from galleries across the Gulf. A series of lectures will also take place to coincide with the exhibition, providing those interested with a deeper understanding of the trade of the dhow. The Pearl Diving competition will begin on November16th at 4.00pm and will see 13 members of two teams embark on three day journey to collect as many pearl as possible using the traditional methods and tools of diving. - Qatar News -

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