Qataris hooked on traditional fishing competition

The Senyar festival in Doha aims to revive Qatar’s seafaring heritage, featuring 54 teams competing in traditional line-fishing aboard wooden dhows. Participants, including naval officer Mohammed al-Hail, expressed enthusiasm for the competition while honoring their ancestors’ practices, despite the economic shift to oil and gas. With local children engaging in the festivities and competitors like Yousuf al-Mutawa sharing familial ties to the sea, the event fosters a sense of community and cultural preservation amid modernity.