Elements of a culture, ingredients of an identity

A major cultural event, the National Heritage and Culture Festival, is taking place this week in Janadriya, Saudi Arabia. Being held for the 17th year, the theme this year revolves around Palestine, its history and future, and the Arabs' right over the land.

The festival will also address Islam's stand against terrorism, especially since the issue has come to the fore following the September 11 attacks in the U.S. Organised by the Saudi National Guard, the Janadriya festival is an annual event that draws many Saudi nationals as well people from abroad.

Preparations began over six months ago, and the festival will feature cultural activities including lectures, poetry readings and fine arts exhibitions. In addition, a national cultural village has also been created to introduce different aspects of Saudi culture. A number of Saudi Arabian, Arab and Muslim thinkers, scholars and writers are invited to the festival each year.

The festival was inaugurated on Wednesday by Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Prime Minister, Crown Prince and Commander of the National Guard. The ceremony opened with a folkloric performance and operetta performed by a group of Arab singers and directed by the renowned Syrian director Najdat Anzoor. Saudi poet and Ambassador to the UK, Dr. Ghazi Al Qusaibi, wrote the song, which is themed around Arabs as a united entity and a nation with a history.

Janadriya, about 40 kilometres from the capital Riyadh, used to be the venue for camel races every spring. Numerous tribes came to see or participate in the popular sport. Soon, it became a hub - a sports haven and a meeting place for people.

The late King Khalid bin Abdulaziz turned the races into an official event which attracted many from within Saudi Arabia and neighbouring Gulf countries as well. Under King Fahd's instructions, the event was expanded to include a number of traditional and cultural events. It gradually metamorphosed into a famous cultural festival.

Parallel activities that accompanied the camel races gave Janadriya a different flavour and brought it fame. The festival became a meeting point where artists, thinkers, philosophers, poets, and writers gathered and turned the place into a cultural venue. Arts exhibition and lectures give the festival a cultural hue and are a part and parcel of it.

In addition, a lot of attention is given to identifying Saudi traditions and culture by the creation of a heritage village. Here, not only do the younger generation of Saudis come to learn about the traditions of their forefathers, but non-Saudis also stream in.

Arab festivals

Yet, the tradition of holding a cultural festival is not limited to Saudi Arabia alone. A number of Arab countries also have similar festivities. During the past week, the Al Qurayyin cultural festival was inaugurated in Kuwait.

The festival also covers different elements of culture, featuring various activities which include lectures, seminars and exhibitions.

This year, Al Qurayyin festival's major events highlight Kuwaiti literature including poetry, short stories and theatre. Activities also include concerts by Kuwaiti, Arab and foreign groups.

The Al Qurayyin festival reflects both Kuwait's identity and reveals itself as a leading Arab den of culture. Kuwait used to be known as Al Qurayyin in ancient times.

Other countries also have festivals that mirror the mosaic of rich Arab and Islamic culture. The Aseela cultural festival in Morocco and Al Mirbid poetry festival held in Iraq bear testimony to this.

The Al Mirbid festival was first inaugurated in 1971. It was intended to bring to life the tradition of Al Mirbid souq near Basra, which was similar to the famous Ukaaz souq. Both souqs were a fertile ground for poetry readings and debates, and not just trade.

And, both have attracted many connoisseurs, as poetry was turned into a medium of communication and contest. Verses became the tool for debates as each poet tried to prove his mastery of the language and creativity through a poem. Words were all they had to fire the imagination and capture people's hearts.

Original intent lost?

Some intellectuals have stressed that these festivals have lost their true meaning and original intent. The Janadriya festival, for instance, has become more "politicised" as its themes reflect the scenario worldwide - the "cultural" side takes a backseat.

In addition, others believe that Al Mirbid festival has not been able to bring alive the flavour of what it used to be in the 1970s and 1980s - a cultural centre that not a single Arab poet would ever miss.

Nevertheless, cultural activities mirror the threads that constitute these societies. They highlight that Arab societies, like any other, do not and cannot live by bread alone.

What makes life worth living is spending a night at a concert, listening to a poetry reading, tasting a traditional dish and debating at a lecture what the future may hold for the Arab world.

These are elements that reflect a culture, ingredients that reflect an identity, pillars that reflect time - they engulf man and make this a wonderful world.