The National Museum of Qatar is to celebrate Garangao Night on July 31 and August 1, 2012, as part of its cultural activities, and in line with the ideals of the holy month of Ramadan. The celebration will include activities for families such as musical entertainment, storytelling sessions on the history of Garangao, and craft activities where children can make their own Garangao bags and fill them with sweets and nuts.
Garangao is a children’s tradition practiced in the Gulf, primarily in Qatar, celebrated on the 14th day of Ramadan tradition. The origin of the word “Garangao” or “Gargee’aan” comes from the Gulf word “Gara” which is the sound of things knocking together, such as the sound of the nuts and sweets in the bag as a child carries it around their neck, or the sound of the knocking of the children at people’s doors or even the sound of the stones that children carry while singing the song and roaming around houses. Children (typically up to the age of 10) dress in traditional costumes after Maghreb prayers and gather in the family house to go out to collect goodies from those in the neighborhood, or in public places such as the souk while singing the Garangao song. The modest treats of the past have been replaced with more elaborate chocolates and gift baskets.
Organized to coincide with the XXX Olympiad in London, the Olympics through Media exhibition, which is open to public until September 9, 2012, is a joint exhibition between the Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum and the Qatar Museums Authority’s Media Collections department. Displayed at the exhibition is a series of rare archive documentaries and films of the Olympic Games since 1896 as well as a collection of historical media equipment, photographs, and other visual imagery.
The exhibition’s activities include the “Light & Shadow” photo competition where participants can take a photo at the light & shadow wall set up inside the venue and post their pictures on the exhibition’s microsite to win up to 2,000 QR for the first prize. The exhibition also features a children’s lounge and video games competition, in addition to a big screen showing live broadcast of the London Olympic Games starting on July 27.
The exhibition will be open daily during Ramadan from 9 am to 12 pm and 7 pm to 12 am from Saturday to Thursday and from 7 pm to 12 am on Friday. Admission to the exhibition and educational activities is free of charge.
Qatar Museums Authority
Doha
Qatar
PO Box 2777
Tel: +(974) 4452 5555
www.qma.org.qa