The culture of Qatar is strongly influenced by traditional Bedouin culture, with less acute influence deriving from India, East Africa, and elsewhere in the Persian Gulf. The peninsula's arid climate compelled its population to place an emphasis on maritime activities within local culture. Arts and literature themes are often related to sea-based activities, particularly in Qatari folklore and music, with pearling trips serving as the main inspiration for music and traditional myths like May and Ghilân.

Although visual arts were historically unpopular due to Islam's stance on depictions of sentient beings, in the mid-20th century, this field has increased in popularity due to increased prosperity from oil exports.Abu Saud (1984), p. 134 During this period, Qatari art flourished due to the efforts of artists such as Jassim Zaini and Yousef Ahmad, as well as support from quasi-governmental institutions such as the Qatari Fine Arts Society, the National Council for Culture, Arts, and Heritage, and in contemporary times, Qatar Museums. At the same time, Qatari literature saw the popularization of genres such as short stories and novels in the 1950s due to increasing educational opportunities. Qatari literature traces its origins to the 19th century, when the primary genre was Nabati poetry. Qatari women were particularly active in this field, breaking social norms, as women were historically less active in traditional forms of art.

The country's traditions and customs are primarily rooted in its history as an Arab-Islamic country. Nomadic pastoralism, principally of camels, and pearl fishing were once cornerstone livelihoods, with the Bedouin and Hadar (settled) communities each having distinct customs. The majlis, a communal gathering space used for storytelling and social interactions, is an important part of the culture. Cultural policies and affairs are regulated by the Ministry of Culture. The current minister is Abdulrahman bin Hamad bin Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani.

Arts and literature Visual arts

The modern Qatari art movement emerged in the mid-20th century, largely in part due to the increased prosperity from oil exports. Traditionally, Islamic culture's aversion to depicting sentient beings restricted the advancement of the visual arts, with Qataris instead favoring art forms such as calligraphy, architecture, and textiles.Abu Saud (1984), p. 140 However, in the 1950s and 1960, the government, particularly the Ministry of Education increased funding and support to the visual arts, including artists such as Jassim Zaini, Yousef Ahmad, Salman Al Malik, Faraj Daham and Ali Hassan. Institutions like the Qatari Fine Arts Society, established in 1980, and the National Council for Culture, Arts, and Heritage, established in 1998, further reinforced the modern art scene.Abu Saud (1984), p. 142

Qatar Museums was established in the early 2000s to centralize various museums and collections. Following this was the inauguration of several more major art institutions like the Museum of Islamic Art in 2008, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in 2010, and the National Museum of Qatar in 2019. Plans for additional museums were announced in 2022, including the Art Mill, Lusail Museum, and Qatar Auto Museum.

For the last twenty years, several members of the Al Thani family have advanced Qatar's global involvement in the arts. Qatar was revealed to be the world's biggest art buyer in 2011. Figures like Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad Al Thani, Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and Hassan bin Mohamed Al Thani have played significant roles in developing the country's art scene and its related institutions.

Contemporary cultural life in Qatar has expanded significantly with the development of major cultural institutions, including museums, galleries, and cultural festivals. These initiatives reflect the country's investment in positioning itself as a global cultural hub while also promoting local artistic production.Qatar Museums. About Qatar Museums. https://www.qm.org.qa/en/about-us/

Architecture

The architecture of Qatar is similar to other Persian Gulf nations, and influenced by Islamic traditions. Features such as arches, niches, and intricately carved plaster patterns, as well as gypsum screens and battlements, are common. The hot desert climate heavily influenced the choice of materials, with rough stones from hills or coastal areas, bound together by clay, serving as primary building materials. Over time, clay was replaced with gypsum mortar, and wood, particularly for beams, was incorporated. Limestone, sourced from nearby rocky hills, was occasionally used in construction.

Qatari architecture is categorized into religious, civil, and military types. Religious architecture, mainly mosques, are typically unadorned, yet on rare occasions in urban areas, may feature intricate designs. Civil architecture includes palaces, houses, and marketplaces. Military architecture consists of fortresses and defensive walls designed for protection, sometimes enclosing settlements. Coastal architecture shows Persian influences, while inland styles reflect Najdi traditions.

Traditional Qatari houses are centered around courtyards, which provide ventilation, sunlight, and private space for domestic activities. The houses are designed with the preservation of privacy in mind, and the layout of the houses segregates male visitors from family areas. The majlis, a formal reception area, holds particular importance in social contexts.

Several methods were used in traditional architecture to alleviate the country's harsh climate; for instance, windows were seldom used to reduce heat conduction. The badgheer construction method allowed air to be channeled into houses for ventilation. Air was also channeled by horizontal air gaps in rooms, and parapets and vertical openings in wind towers called hawaya which drew air into the courtyards. Such towers were historically present in coastal settlements such as Al Wakrah.

Folklore

Qatari folklore, known locally as hazzawi, was historically passed down orally between generations and is based mainly on maritime activities. One popular legend, or hikaya, is that of May and Ghilân. Originating from the Al Muhannadi tribe of Al Khor, the story narrates a struggle between two pearl fishers which results in the creation of the sail. Another locally popular tale is the Lord of the Sea, which revolves around a half-man half-fish monster named Bū Daryā who terrorizes sailors.

Among the notable folk heroes in Qatari folklore are individuals like Qatari ibn al-Fuja'a, a celebrated war poet from the 7th century, and Rahmah ibn Jabir Al Jalhami, an infamous pirate and ruler of Qatar in the 18th and 19th centuries. Recurring motifs in Qatari folklore include djinn, pearl diving, and the sea.

With the advent of oil exploration and modernization, the tradition of oral storytelling gradually declined. Efforts by government ministries such as the Ministry of Culture, alongside local universities, have been made to preserve and transcribe these tales. Collaborative endeavors between government agencies and regional bodies like the GCC States Folklore Centre, headquartered in Doha, have helped preserve the local folklore.

Literature

Qatari literature as a field began in the 19th century, initially featuring written poetry, mainly the nabati form. In the mid-20th century, spurred by oil revenues, short stories and novels emerged as popular literary forms. Poetry remained popular, but other literary genres became increasingly common as a result of a more educated population, and increasingly featured women writers.

Qatari literature is broadly categorized into two periods, divided primarily by increasing economic prosperity and globalization: pre-1950 and post-1950.

In the 1970s, the popularization of short stories and novels provided both the opportunity for female writers to involve themselves in the arts, as well as an avenue to discuss societal problems. Kaltham Jaber became the first Qatari female author to publish a collection of short stories, and to publish a major work when she released her anthology of short stories, dating from 1973 to the year of its publishing, 1978.Abu Saud (1984), p. 161 Novels have become more popular in the 21st century; nearly a quarter of all existing Qatari-authored novels were published post-2014. Efforts to preserve and document Qatari literature have been undertaken through initiatives like the Qatar Digital Library and local publishing houses.

Poetry

Poetry has been an integral part of the culture since pre-Islamic times.Abu Saud (1984), p. 152 Qatari ibn al-Fuja'a, a folk hero dating to the seventh century, was renowned for writing poetry. It was seen as a verbal art which fulfilled essential social functions. Having a renowned poet among its ranks was a source of pride for tribes; it was the primary way age-old traditions were passed down through generations. Poems composed by females primarily focused on the theme of ritha, to lament. This type of poetry served as an elegy.

Nabati was the primary form of oral poetry. In the nineteenth-century, Sheikh Jassim Al Thani composed influential Nabati poems on the political conditions in Qatar.Abu Saud (1984), p. 154 Nabati poems are broadcast on radio and televised in the country.Abu Saud (1984), p. 156

Weaving and dyeing

Weaving and dyeing by women played a substantial role in Bedouin culture. Spinning sheep's and camel's wool to produce cloths was laborious. The wool was first disentangled and tied to a bobbin, serving as a core and keeping the fibers rigid. This was followed by spinning the wool by hand on a spindle known as noul. They were then placed on a vertical loom constructed from wood whereupon women would use a stick to beat the weft into place.

The resulting cloths were used in rugs, carpets, and tents. Tents were usually made up of naturally colored cloths, whereas rugs and carpets used dyed cloths; mainly red and yellow. The dyes were fashioned from desert herbs, with simple geometrical designs being employed. The art lost popularity in the 19th century as dyes and cloths were increasingly imported from other regions in Asia.

Embroidery

A simple form of embroidery practiced by Qatari women was known as kurar. It involved four women, each carrying four threads, who would braid the threads on articles of clothing - mainly thawbs or abayas. The braids, varying in color, were sewn vertically. It was similar to heavy chain stitch embroidery. Gold threads, known as zari, were commonly used. They were usually imported from India.

Another type of embroidery involved the designing of caps called gohfiahs. They were made from cotton and were pierced with thorns from palm trees to allow the women to sew between the holes. This form of embroidery declined in popularity after the country began importing the caps.

Khiyat al madrasa, translated as 'school embroidery', involved stitching furnishings by satin stitching. Prior to the stitching process, a skilled artist would draw a shape onto the fabric. The most common designs were birds and flowers.

Music

The folk music of Qatar is largely influenced by pearl fishing. Traditional dances, such as the ardah and tanbura, are performed during festive occasions such as weddings or feasts and are accompanied by percussion instruments like al-ras and mirwas. Other commonly used folk instruments include stringed instruments such as the oud and rebaba, and woodwind instruments like the ney and sirttai. Clapping also played a major part in most folk music.

Various forms of folk music are repurposed in modern Khaliji (Gulf) music. The Ministry of Culture has made efforts to preserve and document folk music, alongside efforts to form an active music scene with the establishment of music institutions like the Qatar Music Academy and the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra.