Qatar’s rich folk arts traditions remain a vital expression of national identity, particularly during the Eid celebrations, where they serve as a living archive of the country’s heritage. Despite rapid modernization, these cultural practices continue to be passed down through generations, preserving ancestral customs and social values tied to Qatar’s historical way of life.

Experts, including heritage researchers, cultural critics, and musicians, emphasize the significance of these folk arts in capturing the festive spirit and communal joy of Eid. The Qatar Media Corporation has played a key role in preserving these traditions through audio-visual recordings, while Qatari scholars have extensively documented the arts to ensure their ongoing vitality.

Music critic and writer Ibrahim al-Mutawa highlighted the Gulf region’s rich legacy of folkloric chants and songs closely linked to major life events such as Eid, weddings, pearl-diving, and seafaring. He noted the influential contributions of the late composer Abdulaziz Nasser, who in the 1970s helped safeguard this musical heritage. Among Nasser’s enduring works is the well-known song “Ya Al-Aido,” recorded for Qatar Radio in 1970 and widely embraced across Qatar and the Gulf. Nasser’s composition maintained the original folk text and sensibility while introducing a melody rooted in traditional rhythms like “Al-Daza,” commonly heard at weddings and holiday celebrations.

Faisal al-Tamimi, a heritage researcher and composer, pointed out that folk arts document social practices, professions, and community roles from the past, often linked to specific seasons and customs. He identified Eid as one of the most prominent occasions reflected in these traditions. For instance, the children’s chant “Eidikum Mubarak ya Ahl al-Bayt” has evolved into a staple folk refrain performed during the festival.

Al-Tamimi also described various folk performance forms associated with Eid. The women’s “Al-Muradah” chant and dance involve private gatherings where participants engage in call-and-response singing without instrumental accompaniment. This collective performance features synchronized footwork, rhythmic swaying, and alternating vocal exchanges between two groups, traditionally worn in festive embroidered attire and gold jewelry. Men’s Eid celebrations often include the “Al-Ardah” sword dance, performed publicly after afternoon prayers in central squares and coastal areas.

Qatari composer and artist Matar Ali al-Kuwari stressed that Qatar’s folk heritage is not a singular genre but rather a broad cultural ecosystem encompassing emotional songs, maritime music, Ardah performances, Samri traditions, children’s songs, social customs, folk games, and traditional crafts. While some individual efforts have been made to document these forms, al-Kuwari expressed concern over the lack of systematic preservation and called for an official institutional framework to collect and curate the country’s folk culture comprehensively.

He emphasized the importance of transforming heritage into living cultural production through contemporary artistic expression rather than limiting it to static archives. Al-Kuwari also highlighted the deeply intimate and communal nature of Eid celebrations in Qatar, particularly for children, who eagerly anticipate the festival starting from Garangao through to the Eid morning, underscoring the enduring connection between folk arts and shared cultural memory.