Kuwaiti heritage alive and well |
|
Network this!
KUWAIT: Kuwaiti history is long, but local tributes to it in the form of museums are few to nil. For the most part, Kuwaitis are unmoved by the idea of tradition represented in the form of a museum or a traditional heritage site.
Kuwait Times asked Kuwaitis if they take their children to heritage sites like the National Museum's old village display, the Maritime Museum, the Red Fort, or Falaika Island's traditional village. Many responded similarly to Ayman Faisal, who said, "We would go, but there is not much to see. It is boring for them, they want to go to Future Kids and play at the beach.
Hessa Raed said, "The schools take them and they don't want to go again... It is better to take them out for fun and let the schools teach them about the past. But more importantly, we want them to develop for the future and learn computers, engineering and such, not concentrate on a past that is long gone.
Laila Ghanim echoed Hessa's thoughts saying, "The future is what we are about, there is no sense focusing on the past. We want to teach them about what the new Kuwait could be if they are educated and look beyond the past.
Many Kuwaitis speaking to Kuwait Times believe their past is intermingled with their present in such a way that does not require a site set aside for remembrance. "We follow our traditions on a daily basis. Most of us wear traditional clothes, eat the same food as our forefathers and tell the same stories," said fifty year old Yusef Abdullah who continued saying, "If we want to know about our grandfathers, we ask them. My eighty-five year old father lives downstairs, so why do I need to ask a stranger when my history book lives in my home.
Saud Jasser said, "I was taught by my grandfather how to hunt birds in the old way. He took me to the desert as a small boy to learn how our forefathers lived and hunted. It was not a history lesson, it was a hunting trip to the desert and this is what I have done with my grandsons." He furthered saying, "We teach our history by example and by telling stories of our grandfathers, not by going to museums and exhibits.
Abu Talal reiterated Saud's thoughts saying, "Why do I need a display to show my grandson how falcons were hunted? I will teach him, why do I want a museum to show him how to cook in the old ways of the desert? I take him camping and show him what we Kuwaitis have always done. Shame on me if I do not teach our legacy to my grandchildren.
There was some support among Kuwaitis for a historical museum wherein children could actively participate in the ways of old. "An important part of heritage museums for children is activities. We lack that here in Kuwait. If we could arrange a traditional village similar to the small one on Falaika Island that would allow children to actually weave the old fishing nets or make a paper example of one...and stir the old cooking pots in a traditional village, this would keep a child's interest while teaching, said teacher Bashar Khaled.
Hands on children's activities is what we need to teach our history and while we keep fairly attached to our traditions which are inter-twinned with religion, we should still build such a museum to make certain nothing is forgotten-like what the Sadu House has done in keeping Bedouin weaving alive," said Muhamed Essa who went on to say, "The cell phone generation must be pushed to remember the past before they forget to teach their children.
When Kuwait Times asked high school student Nasser Bader what he thought about keeping Kuwaiti traditions of old alive via museums, he responded by saying, "I live in the same home as my father, grandmother and great grandmother. They tell me about the past constantly, my only escape from the stories of when they slept on roofs is to turn on my X-Box.
By Ahmad Al-Khaled
© Kuwait Times 2007
Community Comments (0) - 
Comment on this article 
Comment on this article
The opinions of the authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect Zawya. Read our Comment Policy.
Loading ...
Zawya Comment Policy:
-
Zawya encourages you to add a comment to this discussion. You agree that when you add content to this discussion your comments will not:
1.1 Contain any material which is libelous or defamatory of any person, is obscene, offensive, hateful or inflammatory or causes damage to the reputation of any person or organisation.
1.2 Promote sexually explicit material, violence, discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age or any illegal activity.
1.3 Be made in breach of any legal duty owed to a third party, such as a contractual duty or a duty of confidence.
1.4 Be threatening, abuse or invade another's privacy, or cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety.
1.5 Be used to impersonate any person, to misrepresent your identity or affiliation with any person, or be likely to deceive any person.
1.6 Give the impression that they represent Zawya.
1.7 Advocate, promote or assist any unlawful act such as (by way of example only) copyright infringement or computer misuse. - The content posted on www.zawya.com is created by members of the public. The views expressed are theirs and unless specifically stated are not those of Zawya. Zawya reserves the right to review all comments prior to posting and edit or delete any contribution, but Zawya is not responsible for and can not be held liable for any content posted by members of the public on www.zawya.com.
- Zawya is not responsible for the availability or content of any third party sites that are accessible through www.zawya.com. Any links to third party websites from www.zawya.com do not amount to any endorsement of that site by Zawya and any use of that site by you is at your own risk.
- By submitting your comment, you hereby give Zawya the right, but not the obligation, to post, air, edit, exhibit, telecast, webcast, re-use, publish, reproduce, use, license, print, distribute or otherwise use your comments worldwide, in perpetuity.
Post Your Tender Notices for FREE
(No Sign-in Required)
Zawya Tenders is a Tender Notices service entirely driven by contribution
from issuers in both public and private sectors. It is not an e-tendering service and is entirely FREE.
As an Issuer, you can benefit from posting an unlimited number of Tender
Notices for FREE and reaching out to an online community of bidders.
The service also offers you a tool to track the interest of bidders to your
tenders 'live' online.
from issuers in both public and private sectors. It is not an e-tendering service and is entirely FREE.
As an Issuer, you can benefit from posting an unlimited number of Tender
Notices for FREE and reaching out to an online community of bidders.
The service also offers you a tool to track the interest of bidders to your
tenders 'live' online.
| Tender Notice | Due Date |
Community Buzz
Stories
Companies
Most viewed companies by Community in the last 24 hrs
| Company Name | Country | Industry |
| Consolidated Contractors Company | Overseas | Construction and Design |
| Saudi Binladin Group | Saudi Arabia | Construction and Design |
| Saudi Telecom | Saudi Arabia | Telecommunications Services |
| Saudi Electricity Company | Saudi Arabia | Electric Utilities |
| Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority | UAE | Electric Utilities |
| Emirates Aluminium Company | UAE | Metal Production |
| Emirates Telecommunications Corporation | UAE | Telecommunications Services |
| Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company - Saudi Arabia | Saudi Arabia | Construction and Design |
| Al Azizia Panda United Company | Saudi Arabia | General Retailers |
| Commercial International Bank (Egypt) | Egypt | Banking |
Projects
Most viewed projects by Community in the last 24 hrs
| Project Name | Country | Sector |
| Takreer - Ruwais Refinery Expansion | UAE | Oil and Gas |
| Al Futtaim Carillion - Marina Hotel (Yas Island) | UAE | Real Estate |
| Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) - Smelter Complex - Phase 1 | UAE | Industry |
| Abu Dhabi DOT - Abu Dhabi Metro | UAE | Infrastructure |
| ENEC - Nuclear Power Plant | UAE | Power and Water |
| SATORP - Jubail Refinery and Petrochemical Complex | Saudi Arabia | Oil and Gas |
| Dubai RTA - Dubai Metro | UAE | Infrastructure |
| Al Safwa - Jeddah Cement Plant | Saudi Arabia | Industry |
| Qatar Bahrain Causeway Foundation - Qatar Bahrain Causeway | Bahrain | Infrastructure |
| Qatar Bahrain Causeway Foundation - Qatar Bahrain Causeway | Qatar | Infrastructure |