"Al-Nahma" contest kicks off in Doha with Kuwait's participation

DOHA, March 9 (KUNA) -- Qatar's Cultural Village Foundation ( Katara) launched Saturday the third "Al-Nahma", sea songs, competition in Doha, with participation of 11 singers from Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Iraq.
The contest aims to revive heritage of ancestors, and shows the current generation's pride of it, Assistant Secretary General for Arts Sector of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Literature (NCCAL) Bader Al-Duwaish told KUNA on the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony.
Arabian Gulf states are supporting this popular heritage so as to maintain their identity and mutual bonds, he noted.
He pointed to ancient marine heritage of GCC states, mainly Kuwait, tracing back to several decades.
Kuwait's sea singer Saleh Al-Dashti, Qatar's Ali Al-Hadad and Oman's Salem Al-Farsi have qualified for the next phase.
Al-Nahma is a maritime art and a significant patrimony in the whole region, as Al Nahham (the traditional singer) accompanies sailors during their journeys in the middle of oceans to motivate and entertain mariners and pearl divers, establishing one of the most important cultural tributaries that contributed to the emergence of most of the forms of singing, music and folklore in Qatar and the Gulf region. (end) nnd.mmj.hm