Q is for Qatari Quality & Quick-Wittiness–A to Z Blog Challenge

We are pleased to participate in the A to Z Blog Challenge (http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/).  The Story Crossroads theme for this year is Kindness Across Cultures: Stories to Prove We Care.  Each post highlights present-day and folktale examples.

Qatar merges modern skyscrapers and seaport as seen in Doha and the more traditional ways of life with quaint fishing villages.  The Middle East is a buzz from  the largest news station in that country.  The people are making an effort to gather the stories of the past to share with the present. This picture is of Marsa Malaz Kempinski on an artificial island in Doha, Qatar taken by Angel Mallari.

Present-Day Quality & Quick-Wittiness

Qatar is on the quest of saving stories, which is a different kind of kindness to its people and to the world.  Qatar is in need of looking to its roots and several efforts are being made to listen more closely to elders and spending quality time with them in order to connect as people and to preserve heritage.  The people are wise in doing this now before the elders pass away and then no one would be around to remember.

Two articles share about the urgency to do such a service:

• https://www.matthewteller.com/work/qatars-storytelling-tradition/
• https://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Arts/2011/0328/Saving-the-stories

Past Quality & Quick-Wittiness (Folktale)

Typically, I would share a full summary of a Qatari folktale and point out specific moments of kindness.  However, there is still much collecting happening and these stories are not available as published works at this time.  I am predicting that the story “Fsaijrah and the Magic Fish” will reflect levels of kindness.

Stories involving magic fish usually involve the fisherman, in this case named Fsaijrah, who happen to catch a talking fish.  The fish pleads for his life and the man takes pity and releases him.  To reward the kindness, the magic fish offers one or more wishes.  Without seeing the text of this potential story, I will still count it for a kindness tale in a “to be continued” status.

You may wonder why I decided to then promote Qatar rather than–let’s say–Quebec/Canada.  I found several French-Canadian stories and some started out with kindness though ended badly or even horrific.  First Nations stories would likely have more candidates for stories of kindness though the Caucasian French-Canadian had a more urban legend feel complete with werewolves and deals with devils.  Hmmm.

So instead I give you Qatar and the quest to discover those folktales.

Once these stories are collected and published, then this seems the most likely place to find them:  https://www.qatarliving.com/forum/qatari-culture/posts/looking-qatari-folktales.  This web page includes an email if you happen to know any Qatar folktales.

What stories of kindness do you know associated with Qatar?  Anywhere in the world – past or present?  Please share in the comments…or anything on your mind.

While you enjoy this blog, Story Crossroads has year-round offerings including the culminating Festival on May 23, 2018 (see schedule here: https://storycrossroads.com/2018-schedule/).  

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