United Development Company to C celebrate Garangao at The Pearl - Qatar

As part of its cultural activities, and in line with the spirit of solidarity of the Holy Month of Ramadan, United Development Company (UDC), one of Qatar's leading and most recognized public shareholding companies and master developer of The Pearl–Qatar, will hold Garangao celebration, a mid-Ramadan festival for children. The event will take place on July 23, 2013, from 8:30 pm to 11:30 pm in Porto Arabia, 18 La Croisette, at The Pearl–Qatar.

This initiative comes as part of UDC’s efforts to keep alive local traditions and to also encourage the younger generation to preserve this form of folk heritage.

Garangao is a mid-Ramadan tradition widely celebrated across GCC countries. On this night, children roam around their neighborhoods singing traditional songs that mark the occasion and receive a variety of gifts and bags of sweets from elders.

In The Pearl–Qatar, scouring children will also roam throughout the Island, adorned in colorful traditional costumes, chanting traditional songs, amid vineyard gifts distributed by the adults.

Garangao is a children’s tradition practiced in the Gulf, primarily in Qatar, celebrated on the 14th day of Ramadan tradition. The origin of the word "Garangao" or "Gargee'aan" comes from the Gulf word "Gara”, which connotes the sound of things knocking together, such as the sound of the nuts and sweets in the bags as children carry them around their necks, 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 and roaming around houses.

The celebration will include a variety of activities such as: face painting, ceramic coloring, popcorn and cotton candy machines, as well as garangao goodies for kids.