Traditional Qatari Life as Told by Local People

This research paper explores the Qatari heritage in its various components through oral history and delves deep into the undocumented aspects of life in Qatar from 1900 to 1999. Most researchers in this field do not have written documents, charts, or photographs to help them search and investigate facts. Most of what we receive comes through oral narration, from mouth to ear recounts of events that our ancestors tell us. The biggest problem is that these recounts are neither written nor recorded in order to be preserved for future generations. Hence the need to research this cultural heritage to document it and preserve it for future generations first and to publish it and introduce the world to it secondly. This becomes an even more urgent need when we realize the threat of loss of our history, because if the narrators die, history will die with them. That is why this paper relies most on anonymous surveys with many people about all aspects of Qatari life on land and in the sea. Because this paper adopts a qualitative and quantitative approach, I interviewed 15 men and women of all ages who either lived an event or learnt about it from their parents or grandparents and collected valuable information from aspects of Qatari life. Other information comes from interviews recorded by Qatar National Museum. The results revealed a wealth of information about sea life and the tradition of pearl diving, old palaces, neighborhoods, weddings, education, sports, etc. Although more research may be conducted and more anonymous surveys may be needed to cover all aspects of life in Qatar during this period, but the surveys conducted provided valuable details about little known facts and events. The information obtained is then portrayed in twelve miniature paintings that follow Persian style in illustrating people and objects, hoping that these paintings will contribute, even a little, to the documentation of the most important aspects of life in Qatar throughout the twentieth century.