A large number of people, particularly children, have participated in Garangao celebrations held across the country.
Garangao is celebrated in countries across the Gulf region on the 14th night of the holy month of Ramadan. In Qatar, children turn up in traditional clothes after Iftar and walk around their neighbourhoods, singing the Garangao song and receiving goodies in cloth bags as gifts from neighbours.
Different organisations and companies also host Garangao festivities. Following are some of the highlights:
Aspire Zone
Aspire Zone came alive on Friday as thousands of children from across the country came together in a specially-constructed Traditional Village to celebrate Garangao.
Children wandered in the open, air-conditioned zone, collecting sweets and nuts in cloth bags from women in traditional clothes, while huge screens played the Garangao song and traditional videos.
Saoud Mansour, a 14-year-old Qatari boy, attended the event with his younger brothers, Omar and Hamad. “Everything about the event is great. I am here for my brothers so that they can experience Garangao,” he said.
Mashael Abood Alkhalaf, a six-year-old girl from Syria, said: “I am having lot of fun; I have collected lots of gifts, nuts and sweets.”
A competition for the best traditional dress was held, where the first prize was an iPad and the second a sports watch.
Tamim Ali Mohamed from Qatar won the first prize for boys while Meshal al-Aqidi, also from Qatar, came second. Among the girls, Sarah al-Dossary from Qatar came first while infant Al-Jawhara Ali was second.
The festival was held in collaboration with several sporting organisations, including Qatar Olympic Committee, El Jaish Sports Club, Lekhwiya Sports Club, Qatar Stars League, Qatar 2015 24th Men’s Handball Championship, Qatar Athletics Federation, BeFit Campaign, Doha Goals, Fina and the Qatar Gymnastics Federation.
Each organisation played host to a specific activity, ranging from inflatable shootout stations and foosball tables to gymnastics obstacle courses and basketball nets.
Many of AZF’s senior management members were eager to attend the event and share with the people the joy of the special night. AZF president Hilal al-Kuwari and CEO Khalid Abdullah al-Sulaiteen were among the first to participate.
AZF Corporate Communications manager Nasser Abdullah al-Hajri said: “We regularly host events designed to honour the local customs and traditions, and tonight’s Garangao festivities are a perfect example. I am delighted with this evening’s turnout of more than 8,000 participants.”
The Garangao celebrations are part of Aspire Zone’s Ramadan Festival.
Qatar Foundation
Thousands of children and their families gathered at Al Shaqab in Education City on Thursday evening to enjoy the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) Garangao night.
Following the breaking of the fast, Qatari and expatriate families descended on Al Shaqab, eager to participate in QF’s full programme of fun events and activities organised especially for the Garangao night celebration.
The hugely popular evening saw thousands of children participate in pony rides, face-painting, arts and crafts, and henna art along with other activities and games.
Besides receiving traditional Garangao gifts and sweets, the children were provided with complimentary books. And, in an effort to foster understanding of Qatar’s heritage among its youngest population, Qatar National Library (QNL) organised a muppet show to animate the story-telling of several traditional stories through the evening.
Fahad al-Qahtani, Group executive director (administration) at QF, said: “This is definitely an event that brings the community together and allows us to share our tradition and culture with our expatriate community members as well.”
QNL was among the QF members that supported the event. Saadi A al-Said, QNL’s associate director for administration and planning, said: “We aimed, through participating in the organisation of the Garangao night, to highlight Qatar’s honoured heritage and encourage the young generation to preserve such traditions.”
Maryam Ahmed, a Qatari who attended the celebration, said: “This is the very first time my children have attended a public event to celebrate Garangao. We are all having fun, especially as it is reviving a most beautiful tradition.”
Canadian resident Amber Nelson, living in Qatar since September 2013, said: “My kids enjoyed being here, especially the pony ride.” More celebrations. Page 30, 32
