Qatari folklore

Qatari folklore largely revolves around sea-based activities and the accolades of renowned folk heroes. Like elsewhere on the Arabian Peninsula, folktales – known in Qatar as hazzawi – play an important role in Qatar's culture. Some of Qatar's folktales have a distinctive local character while others have been imparted by nomadic tribes wandering between the present-day Arab states of the Persian Gulf. Local folk stories were seldom documented, instead being passed down orally from generation to generation. After Qatar began profiting from oil exploration, the tradition of passing down these stories gradually ceased. Government ministries such as the Ministry of Culture and Sports and local universities have made efforts to preserve and transcribe local legends in publications.

Among Qatar's most noted folk heroes are Qatari ibn al-Fuja'a, a 7th-century war poet, and Rahmah ibn Jabir Al Jalhami, an 18th- and 19th-century pirate and transitory leader of Qatar. Recurring themes in Qatari folklore are djinn, pearl diving, and the sea. Almost every story has a positive moral behind it, such as honesty, strength or piety.

Myths

May and Gilan

A large dhow historically used for pearling at a Qatari dhow festival

In Qatari folklore, the tale of May and Ghilân has been celebrated as a foundational narrative, often recounted through oral tradition. The Arabic term hikâya, translated as legend or story, encapsulates the essence of this tale. Ghilân, a prominent figure in Qatar's maritime history, is revered as the progenitor of pearl fishing, the historical mainstay of Qatar's inhabitants.

The narrative unfolds in the coastal town of Khor Al Muhanadah (now Al Khor), where Ghilân, an affluent boat owner, commands a fleet of vessels engaged in pearl fishing. His authority is challenged by the arrival of May, a daring woman who emerges as a formidable competitor in the industry. Despite Ghilân's initial dominance, May's superior boats and crew pose a formidable threat to his supremacy.

A pivotal moment occurs when May's boats, propelled by skilled rowers, outpace Ghilân's vessels on the route to the pearl oyster beds. In a moment of indignation, Ghilân devises a cunning strategy to regain his advantage. Inspired by the sight of a grasshopper's wings, he conceives the idea of utilizing sails to harness the wind's power. The implementation of sail technology enables Ghilân's boats to surpass May's, leading to his triumph.

The tale intertwines themes of competition, innovation, and gender dynamics, reflecting the complexities of traditional Arabian culture. May's boldness challenges conventional gender roles, while Ghilân's strategic prowess reinforces his status as a revered leader.

While the legend of May and Ghilân has endured within Qatari folklore, its widespread dissemination has been limited primarily to the locality of Al Khor. According to tradition, the myth originated from the local Al Muhannadi tribe. Despite efforts to preserve oral traditions, the story's transmission has been widely reduced after several generations.

Lord of the Sea

The "Lord of the Sea" tale is famous in Qatar as well as the rest of the Persian Gulf region. The story revolves around a water djinn named Bū Daryā, who terrorizes sailors and pearl divers. It remains a well-known tale among Qatar's older population, particularly those who worked in maritime activities.

The myth attains its name from the protagonist, Bū Daryā. In Arabic, "bu" or "abu" translates to "father", while "darya" originates from the Persian term for "sea". Although the second word has Persian origins, the myth has not been documented in any known Persian literature. An alternative name for the protagonist is "Šeytān Ìl-bahār", Arabic for "devil of the sea". Bū Daryā was seen as a terrifying and colossal half-human half-amphibian who preyed on those out at sea. Many sailors and pearl divers of the past were convinced of Bū Daryā's existence and took special precautions should they encounter him. In fact, according to one version of the myth, Bū Daryā would sneak onto unsuspecting ships at night before scurrying off with crew members whom he would devour, and in some cases would sink the ship. This provoked seaward travelers to take turns on night watch duty in case of an attack.

Wailing-like calls, similar to those of a siren, are reported in the second version of the myth. Unsuspecting sea travelers who would answer these pleas would face their doom at the hands of Bū Daryā. If a whole ship responded to the call, then its resources would be plundered and in most cases the ship would be sunk. As per this version, the only way to repel the hypnotic calling would be to repeat Quran verses. The second version represents a less fanciful depiction of Bū Daryā and contains more elements pertaining to the unknown dangers awaiting in unexplored and undocumented areas of the open sea. It also attempts to reconcile faith and religion with long-held customs in an effort to provide a moral to the story.

Folktales

Genres of folktales

Qatari folktales can be divided into four main categories: witticisms (torfah), anecdotes (nadirah), wisecracks (molhah) and jokes (noktah). The first genre, referred to as witticism in English, provides a combination of social criticism and sarcasm delivered in a witty manner. Humor is not necessary in witticisms; in fact, many witticisms do not highlight elements of humor, but of misfortune and misery. Nonetheless, this misery may be still be communicated in a lighthearted and exaggerated way for entertainment purposes.

An example of the witticism, or torfah genre, is the story of Far Boufarah Khayes Al-Merara, narrated by Qatari folklorist Ahmed Al Sayegh. In it, a delusional man kills a mouse with a sword and pridefully places it in front of his doorstep in an attempt to showcase his masculinity. When his wife notices the dead mouse, she does not share his enthusiasm and instead views it as the unnecessary slaughter of a defenseless creature. Incensed, the husband expresses his very strong dissatisfaction of his wife's attitude and threatens to divorce her. After his mother-in-law was informed of the incident by his wife, she pays him a visit and on entering the household, questions who it was that has slain the mighty lion at their doorstep. The husband arrogantly claimed responsibility and, encouraged by his mother-in-law's enabling of his delusional state, moved to forgive his wife for her perceived transgressions. Thus, witticisms can be seen as playing important social roles, with their morals often providing relevant and sensible advice to its listeners. In this context, the lesson taught is, that spouses may have to make compromises and entertain one another's egos, at least to a small extent, in order for a marriage to be successful. Other common morals taught by witticisms include knowing when to remain silent and being vigilant against thieves and fraudsters.

Morphology of folktales

According to Vladimir Propp's Morphology of the tale published in 1928, the prologue is an essential component of all folktales. A prologue is defined as the opening section of a story which describes its setting, characters and context. Most Qatari and other regional folktales begin with the phrase "Blessing of Allah be upon Muhammad" or a variant of this. Stories often revolve around multiple members of a family, and recurrent patterns can be seen in the family structure of protagonists, such as orphaned children, children with only one parent, and children with abusive stepparents. Examples of such settings can be found in the folktales of Al-Khadrabouna and Hamad and Hamda.

In some tales, Jinn appear as benevolent wish granters, while in others they are cast as the main villains

Folktales vary widely in theme, but jinn and the sea feature prominently in a number of stories. Common structures can be observed in Qatari folktales; with most tales starting with a basic demand, escalating to trials and tribulations, and ending with punishment and/or rewards. The aforementioned stories of Al-Khadrabouna and Hamad and Hamda as well as Al-Sofra wal Qadah wal Mushaab illustrate this structural archetype well.

In the Al-Khadrabouna tale, the prologue introduces an orphaned brother and sister. The plot of the story concerns the namesake, Al-Khadrabouna, a man whom the sister falls in love and whom her brother contacts on her behalf. A villain is found in the girl's neighbor, who sabotages their meeting out of jealousy and weds Al-Khadrabouna herself. In the dénouement, Al-Khadrabouna recognizes the neighbor's deceit and marries the sister instead.

Hamad and Hamda is a story about two starving orphan siblings who set out on a journey to find a wealthy philanthropic Sultan who they believe can help alleviate their dire straits. Their journey is fraught with trials as they stave off starvation before falling in a well. A malicious jinn who resides within the well then threatens and frightens the two siblings. As the jinn was asleep, a miracle occurs as a ring worn by Hamad is revealed to have magic powers upon contact with the well wall and conjures an out-stretched snake for the children to climb and escape. Once out of the well, Hamad uses his magic ring to teleport them in front of the Sultan's son whom chauffeurs Hamda and Hamad to the Sultan's palace. Shortly after, the Sultan's son to propose to Hamda. The story ends with both siblings being offered a residence at the palace.

The protagonist of Al-Sofra wal Qadah wal Mushaab is a woodworker who has a basic need for wood in order to earn a living and provide his family. As his area has been deforested, he had to embark on a journey in distant lands to find suitable clusters of trees. After arriving at a relatively densely treed area, he swung his axe into a tree thrice, only to summon a jinn on his third blow. The jinn identifies himself as a friendly spirit and awards the man with a magic table which conjures up food. Grateful, the man takes home the table and feeds his family, however, the family still complained of a lack of clothing and money. Therefore, the man returned the jinn, but upon the jinn's refusal for further assistance, he visited the Sultan and offered to trade him the table for supplies. He was scammed, being given only a pouch of rice and a sickly mule. He revisited and pleaded with the jinn, who this time provided him with a magic cup which would grant him anything he and his family should desire. He decided to take the cup to a blacksmith in order to secure it with chains to protect it against thieves. However, the blacksmith learned of the cup's secret and decided to pilfer it. This elicited the man to appeal to the genie for a third time, and was given a magical axe. The man then used this axe to exact revenge upon the blacksmith and Sultan, and was returned of his magical items.

Al-Anzroot

Al-Anzroot revolves around a young man who has trouble with verbal memory. The protagonist is sent on an errand by his wife to collect the al anzroot plant, a dry herb with medicinal values. Along the way he forgets the name of the plant, and repetitively murmurs "mafeesh" (nothing) to himself. As he is walking along the coast, he encounters two superstitious fishermen who attribute their lack of catch to his repetition of "mafeesh". Thus, they hit him on the head and ordered him to repeat "two big, two small" instead in the hopes that it would help their chances. He then happened upon a burial service. His incessant muttering of the phrase "two big, two small" deeply offended the grieving family, causing one of them to strike him upon the head and ask him to repeat "May God have patience and reward you" instead.

The next venue he appears at is a wedding ceremony, where he once again offends the audience by mourning their joyous occasion. This induced a member of the audience to slap his head and encourage him to instead say "May God bless your actions and bring you joy". In the proceeding twist of irony, he stumbles upon two siblings who are engaged in a physical altercation. The elder of the two turned and kicked the man after hearing him express happiness at their quarrel, and ordered him to state that "You should treat your brother better; be kind to him". This phrase was expressed while walking past a man who was shooing a dog away from a mosque, and the words were considered inappropriate by the onlooker. He thus hit him on his head, and asked that he repeat "Go away, dog!". Finally, the man's journey brought him to a leatherworker who was in the process of attempting to slice a piece of leather, holding it in his teeth while he steadied his incision. Hearing the words "Go away, dog!" deeply upset him, leading to yet another strike on the head and the leathersmith questioning him, "Do you want a slam with al-anzroot?", using the term as slang for a hardy, strong strike. Suddenly, the man remembered what he set out to find, and hugged the leathersmith in appreciation.

Classified as a witticism, the moral of this story is intended to inform listeners to be conscientious of their speech and to recognize that the setting of a social situation and the timing of an utterance are critical factors in determining the appropriateness of what is said.

The Golden Cow

A statue of a golden bull

The tale of "The Golden Cow" recounts the story of an affluent merchant who, after experiencing misfortune in his first two marriages, is blessed with a daughter from his third wife. However, following the death of his wife, the merchant remarries, leading to the mistreatment of his daughter by her stepmother. Seeking to escape her harsh reality, the daughter devises a plan to conceal herself inside a large golden cow crafted by a jeweler. Purchased by the ruler's son and placed in his chamber, the girl emerges from her hiding place to eat, eventually revealing herself to the young man. Moved by her plight, the ruler's son offers her protection and ensures her safety within his chambers.

However, when the golden cow is borrowed to decorate a bridal chamber, the girl unwittingly finds herself exposed and subsequently mistreated by the bride. Rescued by a kind water carrier named Fattoum, the girl receives care and refuge in her home. Meanwhile, the ruler's son falls gravely ill upon learning of the incident, prompting desperate attempts to cure him. After months of unsuccessful treatments, it is discovered that bread baked by Fattoum miraculously aids in the young man's recovery. Recognizing the girl's role in the healing process, palace officials persuade Fattoum to reveal her whereabouts, leading to her reunion with the ruler's son and subsequent marriage.

This tale, collected by Dhabiya Abdullah Al Sulaiti, illustrates themes of perseverance, compassion, and eventual redemption within its narrative framework.

The Thorn Tree

The narrative of "The Thorn Tree" recounts the tale of a childless married woman who, upon becoming entangled in the branches of a thorn tree, pledges to care for it if blessed with a child. Subsequently, she gives birth to a daughter and fulfills her vow by teaching the girl to tend to the tree daily. As the girl grows, she encounters a persistent man who repeatedly questions her about the tree's leaves, to which she responds with inquiries about the stars in the sky.

Seeking advice from a cunning woman, the man disguises himself in a woman's abaya and niqāb and gains entry into the girl's home. However, upon realizing the deception, the girl plots her revenge. Inviting the man for coffee under the thorn tree, she intoxicates him with alcohol and herbal medicine, leaving him incapacitated. Subsequently, she masquerades as a male medicine seller wearing an agal, ghutra and thawb, and successfully tricks the man's family into employing her services. Her plan works and the man recovers within days, followed the girl revealing her triumph over his deceitful ploy.

This tale, collected by Kaltham Ali Al Ghanem, concludes with the acknowledgment of the girl's cunning and the defeat of the dishonest man.

A'ssoom and A'rooy

Two sheep named A'ssoom and A'rooy are the main protagonists in this story recorded by Dhabiya Mohammed Al Khater. The story starts off in spring when the two sheep are grazing away from home. Strong rains started falling, inducing A'ssoom to try and convince A'rooy to return to their farm. A'rooy refused this suggestion in song, causing A'ssoom to feel humiliated. In retaliation, A'ssoom went to the wolf and asked him to devour A'rooy.

The wolf declined A'ssooy's proposition, prompting her to ask the dog to hunt the wolf. When he declined, she went to their owner and asked him to abuse the dog. Upon his refusal, she ventured to the barber and requested that he shave off her owner's beard. Again daunted by refusal, she suggested to the fire that it set the barber's hut ablaze; this too was declined. When she asked the water to extinguish the fire, it refused, so she asked the camel to disperse the water, but was still met with refusal. She attempted to convince the gadash (a type of insect) to sting the camel, but he did not accept. In her final plea, she begged the rooster to scare the gadash into compliance, and was at last met with acceptance.

After the rooster successfully startled the gadash, it attacked the camel, causing the camel to leap in and disperse the water, some of which spilled into the fire, inducing the fire to set the barber's house ablaze. The distraught barber then cut off the man's beard, which angered him into beating his dog, and in turn his dog pursued the wolf. Upon the wolf's arrival at the farmhouse, there was no sign of A'rooy, so he ironically consumed A'ssoom instead.

Fictional beings

Most of the figures from Islamic mythology are present in Qatari folklore, including angels, jinn (spirits), shaitan (devils), houris, and ghouls.

As mentioned in the "Lord of the Sea" myth, the protagonist Bū Daryā is a malevolent half-man half-amphibian, who, according to some versions, attracts seafarers with a wailing call. This being bears some semblance with other sea-based mythological figures such as mermen and sirens. It is speculated that, since Bū Daryā is locally referred to as the 'lord of the sea', this myth may pre-date Wahhabism in Qatar since Wahhabi doctrine explicitly prohibits any entity other than Allah from being referred to as 'lord'.

Talking animals, a universal element that is present across all cultures, are common in Qatari folklore.

Folk heroes

A sketch of Rahmah ibn Jabir drawn by Charles Ellms in his 1837 book The Pirates Own Book

Qatari ibn al-Fuja'a, a seventh-century war poet who was born in modern-day northern Qatar, is revered as a folk hero in the country.

A more contemporary folk hero can be found in Rahmah ibn Jabir Al Jalhami, an 18th- and 19th-century pirate and transitory ruler of the Qatar Peninsula. In his time, he was known as the "Scourge of the Pirate Coast". He also features prominently in Saudi folklore, specifically that of its Eastern Province.

Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani, often referred to as "The Founder", is a prominent folkloric figure, particularly due to his military achievements, his charitable donations and his promotion of Islam. He ruled Qatar for a period of over 30 years starting in 1878.

Preservation

After oil operations commenced in Qatar, a dramatic shift on societal customs was witnessed, resulting in a loss of cultural heritage. As folk stories were rarely documented in the past, there has been an urgency by Qatari authorities to preserve and record as much oral history as can be remembered. In particular, the Ministry of Culture and Sports (MCS) and local universities have been at the forefront of these efforts to transcribe Qatari folklore. The MCS and universities in Education City often collaborate with each other by jointly authoring books on Qatari folklore and organizing conferences.

In 1983, a joint effort was launched by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states known as the Arab Gulf States Folklore Centre (AGSFC, later renamed the GCC States Folklore Centre), and was headquartered in Qatar's capital city, Doha. The center was responsible for releasing books in Arabic and English, holding conferences and organizing workshops related to Persian Gulf heritage. Furthermore, the center published a quarterly journal known as Al-Ma'thurat al-Sha'biya.