While there may be other cities than Doha, the residents of the Qatari capital make up most of the country’s population. Since the country is very welcoming and embraces other cultures, there are many expatriates living in Doha, thus making it a mixture of modernity and Arab traditions.
The people
Qatari families date back to the tribes that lived a nomadic life along the coast. Today, very few people still preserve this lifestyle in the desert as most people live in cities and most families have individual homes while the government provides housing for citizens who need it.
Hospitality
Qataris are known to be hospitable and most Qataris receive their male guests in a majlis at home, which traditionally used to be made up of large cushions on the floor. Today, the majlis takes place in a regular seating area in the house. Since men and women rarely socialize together, women receive their friends separately.
Clothing
Usually, men in Qatar wear a long flowing white garment called the thobe and a headdress called gutra while Qatari women wear the abaya, a long coat covering the whole body and a hijab. Expats don’t need to wear these however women’s clothing should cover the shoulders, upper arms and knees.
Falconry
Despite, being a modern country in many aspects, Qatar still preserves different traditions like falconry. In the past, Bedouins used these birds for hunting. Today, hunting season is from October till March and falcons are bred in captivity and are tracked by their owners through a small radio transmitter implanted on them. The two most popular falcon types are Saker (hurr) and Peregrine (shaheen).
