Arabian Delight

Heritage on display

But while Doha’s modernity was certainly impressive, I’d come here to go beyond its glittering glass skyscrapers and unravel its rich Arabian heritage. One of the best places to really dive deep into Qatar’s past is also one of the city’s most recognisable buildings – the National Museum of Qatar. Its sand-hued flakes draw inspiration from desert roses, where clusters of sand grains called crystals form in arid conditions that have the likeness of rose petals. This attention to detail only continues inside, where 11 galleries vividly paint a picture of Qatar’s history.

“The National Museum was built with Doha’s surrounding landscape in mind,” said my guide Dominica. “It has a steel core and is made of glass and concrete that can withstand high temperatures. The rippling wooden architecture you can see in some sections of the museum inside resembles the desert dunes.” The museum is an impressive feat of engineering, especially when you realise it was built inside two years by architect Jean Nouvel, opening in 2019. As you walk around, the immersive nature of its galleries make you feel like you’re living and breathing Qatar’s heritage. Floor-to-ceiling digital screens that hug curving walls show films of female elders explaining the importance of traditional leather masks they wear called batula, display a vivid showcase of the country’s rich pearling past, as well as much more. “After Japanese pioneer Kokichi Mikimoto started creating his own cultured pearls in the early 20th century, the value of pearls plummeted and so did Qatar’s fortunes,” explained Dominica. “It wasn’t until the British helped the country discover oil in 1939 that Qatar’s future started to look bright again. That really was the catalyst for the prosperous Qatar that you see today.”

Honouring the past

Away from the cultural core of Doha, Qatari traditions still burn bright on its fringes, something Dominica was keen to show me. One morning, we headed south to the coast and made a beeline for Souq Al Wakrah, a historic jumble of alleyways lapped by the warm waters of the Arabian Gulf. Some form of souq or another has been here for nearly 200 years, ever since the fishing and pearling village of Al Wakrah was established in 1828. After it was renovated in 2014, a new life has been breathed into the souq and as I wandered through its lanes and courtyards, I found it easy to imagine what life must have been like here centuries ago. But Souq Al Wakrah isn’t just for show: ancient traditions are actively practiced and shared to younger generations here.

Cultural house Embrace Doha is the leader in ensuring these traditions are not forgotten, hosting a number of workshops for locals and visitors alike, to help visitors gain a hands-on understanding of Qatari heritage. Set up in 2014 and independently run by an all-women team, Embrace is the only cultural centre of its kind in the country and now it was my turn to get my hands dirty – Qatari style. “It’s not just important for us to preserve our heritage,” said Maryam Rajab Ahmed, my teacher and Programmes Lead at Embrace Doha. “But it’s equally key to share it with visitors, especially as many not know of the traditions that are deeply rooted in our culture.”

Embrace runs a number of workshops like sadu weaving and Arabia calligraphy, but I was dipping my toe in bakhoor mixing, a type of Arabian incense that Qataris use in everyday life, from scenting their own clothes to using it to mask bad food smells in their own home. “Bakhoor is far more than just a smell for locals in Qatar, it’s a key part of their identity,” adds Maryam. While concocting my own bakhoor from the scents available like sandalwood, oud, frankincense and more, I was immediately transported to the spice stalls of Souq Waqif – the very identity Maryam was talking about.

As well as reaffirming its bonds with its traditional culture, I also witnessed how Qatar is also keen to reconnect with nature. On the outskirts of Doha lies Heenat Salma, a pioneering sustainable farm where everything from okra to corn, onions to courgettes and beans, are grown here. “Heenat Salma is the first of its kind in Qatar, with its farm-to-table philosophy,” explains Soumia Msmoudi, Head of Permaculture at the farm. “But in the long term, we want this to be a model that can be replicated in other places across Qatar. We collect all sorts of data to make this happen, like crop yields, temperatures and cultivation processes.”

As I was walking round, I could easily see the level of detail and also the way, like Embrace Doha, they want to educate both locals and visitors who come to stay in their glamping tents. You can take part in culinary classes in their slow food kitchen, join harvesting workshops and even help to collect eggs each morning. But Heenat Salma is just one of many things I didn’t think possible in Qatar before I visited. That really is the best validation for exploring Qatar for yourself, rather than flying over it. Only then will you unlock its secrets.