Doha, Qatar: The 14th Katara Traditional Dhow Festival will begin tomorrow and continue until December 7 at Cultural Village Foundation - Katara.
This is one of the most prominent cultural events in the region that celebrates the rich maritime heritage of the Gulf countries and the world.
This year, a number of countries are participating in the festival, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Iraq, India, Tanzania, Iran and Palestine.
This adds an international character to the festival and reflects the cultural and maritime diversity in the region and the world. The festival also includes a programme full of distinctive activities and events, starting with marine art shows, which are presented on Thursdays and Fridays of each week.
It presents a marine operetta that highlights the traditional maritime arts of the region. A special operetta will be presented on the occasion of the launch of the 6th ‘Fath Al Khair’ traditional boat journey, adding a special festive character to the festival that tells part of the history of the sea in the region.
Visitors will also enjoy daily marine arts performances, including Al Nahma and Al Fajri, as well as Omani marine arts that will be presented to highlight the maritime cultural diversity of the Gulf region.
In addition, visitors will enjoy watching a natural pearl display, learning how to craft and sell it, with the opportunity to follow the process of opening oysters to extract pearls, reflecting the importance of this industry in the history of the region.
The festival is not limited to artistic performances only, but also includes daily cultural seminars held from Saturday to Wednesday, where participants discuss various topics such as maritime history, maritime heritage, diving, maritime navigation, as well as the region’s history in the maritime field. Specialised educational workshops will also be organised on shipbuilding and maintenance, the making of the hadra used in fishing, in addition to workshops on palm fronds, blacksmithing, and the making of handicrafts that reflect the region’s maritime heritage.
In order to enhance the spirit of competition, the festival will witness a group of marine competitions that simulate traditional activities at sea.
These competitions include pearl diving, rowing, and swordfishing, in addition to the Senyar Family Competition, which allows families to participate in fun marine challenges.
