QF celebrates Garangao with an online cultural experience

The spirit of Ramadan has been celebrated in virtual form by Qatar Foundation through an online insight into Garangao – the mid-point of the Holy Month.

Members of the community from Qatar and beyond were invited to join a session organized by Qatar Foundation’s Community Engagement team and cultural consultancy company Embrace Doha that captured the essence of Garangao – from its meaning and purpose, to its traditions – with the usual events and activities that surround it unable to be held due to COVID-19.

The session explained how Garangao is an occasion to be celebrated by people of all ages, with children being recognized and rewarded for fasting during the first weeks of Ramadan, and encouraged to continue doing so for the remainder of the Holy Month.

The online audience also learned about the traditional clothes that children wear, the bags they carry, and the songs they sing at Garangao; the preparations that people make for the occasion.

“Ramadan is a time of sharing, and through this online event, we wanted to share knowledge about Garangao, and what it means to Qatar and the region, with people of all nationalities and cultures,” said Hend Al-Mousawi, Head of Culture and Heritage Programming, Qatar Foundation.

“The impact of COVID-19 may have led to our lives changing, but our traditions endure, and through virtual events such as these during Ramadan, we are looking to bring people together in a different way to celebrate this special time.”

Embrace Doha’s founder Amal Al-Shammari, who led the online session, said: “This beautiful celebration encourages social interaction between children and provides them with a sense of place within their community.

“It also strengthens the ties between children and adult members of the neighborhood through the traditional songs which tie young ones to their shared history. Finally, it celebrates the value of sharing throughout the Holy Month of Ramadan.”