Hodeidah – SABA | Report by: Jamil Al-Qashm
In Tihama—where the fertility of the land meets the bounty of the sea, and memory springs from the rhythms of farming seasons and fishing songs—the Qatie Festival emerges each year as a cultural event that redraws the contours of Tihami identity and breathes new life into it across generations.
The Qatie Festival is an open gathering that embodies the spirit of the Tihami people, reflecting age-old traditions and knowledge preserved in everyday life—from agriculture and fishing to chants, dances, and popular arts.
Held in the city of Qatie in Al-Maraweah District, the festival unfolds in a communal atmosphere where Tihami spirit merges with the community’s pulse. Public spaces are transformed into interactive arenas where the past is portrayed through the lens of the present.
Each year, the festival features artistic, theatrical, and acrobatic performances by local folklore troupes, along with live demonstrations of traditional farming methods, fishing tools, and techniques for preserving crops and seafood—visual scenes that transport visitors into the depths of local history.
A special focus is placed on traditional dances, performed in authentic attire and accompanied by distinctive rhythms. These performances give the festival an artistic dimension rooted in the region’s oral and embodied heritage, enhancing the presence of kinetic culture in the public sphere.
Heritage competitions are also central to the event. The festival includes camel and horse races, as well as camel-jumping contests—serving as a vibrant recall of chivalry and valor embedded in the Tihami environment.
The cultural message of the festival is clear in its insistence on allowing the local community to present its heritage in its own voice, free from distortion or stereotyping. This approach grants the festival authenticity and sincerity in both presentation and reception.
The festival plays a vital role in connecting generations to their identity. For the elders, it offers a space to recall their lived experiences, while for the youth, it is a window into discovering the richness of their environment and roots. Thus, it forms a living bridge between past and future.
It also acts as a seasonal economic catalyst—reviving local markets and showcasing traditional Tihami products such as foods, tools, and handicrafts in a dynamic space that blends entertainment with grassroots support for small industries.
On an educational level, the festival offers a hands-on learning experience for children and visitors, where concepts of identity and belonging are conveyed through direct interaction rather than abstract classroom instruction.
It simultaneously provides a platform for the “folk intellectual”—the bearer of unwritten heritage—to present knowledge through performance, storytelling, or craftsmanship, restoring value to popular wisdom as a vital component of the national cultural legacy.
The festival’s organization is powered by widespread community efforts, involving local committees, youth initiatives, and cultural institutions. This broad participation fosters a spirit of partnership and ensures that the event is collectively owned and embraced.
Typically held on the second and third days of Eid al-Adha, the festival’s organizers strive to expand it annually—adding new segments and involving diverse community groups to solidify its status as a national event that transcends the local scope and reflects the richness of Yemeni identity.
Deliberately distanced from formal spectacle, the festival presents itself as a spontaneous meeting point where the Tihami spirit is revived and culture is expressed by the people and for the people—in a vibrant, popular context that mirrors true belonging and deep-rooted cultural awareness.
The Qatie Festival embodies the living memory of Tihama. Its details resonate in people’s faces, the dancers’ steps, the musicians’ melodies, children’s laughter, and the stories of elders. It remains an annual event that blossoms with life upon each return, deepening the presence of heritage with every celebration.
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