Several Cultural Institutions to Mark Garangao

Doha, July 30 (QNA) - Several cultural institutions will hold celebrations to mark Garangao that falls on the 14th night of the Holy Month of Ramadan. Various organizations affiliated to the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage such Cultural Village and activities tent in Aspire, in addition to Qatar Museum Authority, Cultural Village Foundation (Katara), Souq Waqif and Children Cultural Center will organize events for children to celebrate Garangao which is special to the Gulf region, particularly Qatar. In celebration of Garangao, Qatar News Agency (QNA)'s cultural section will hold an event on Wednesday evening with entertainment programs for children and adults as well as distribution of gifts. The event will be attended by QNA Director General and directors of various departments as well as staff members. The National Museum of Qatar will hold Garangao celebration at the QMA Gallery, Building 10, in the Cultural Village Katara. 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. 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. (QNA)