The American School of Doha’s (ASD) grade 6 students celebrated the fourth annual Qatar History Days recently with activities exploring Qatar’s rich history and phenomenal growth. The strings of this distinctive event were woven by Linda Hoiseth (Head HS Librarian), Robb Hoiseth (MS Social Studies Teacher), Nick Mitchell (MS Science Teacher/ 6th Grade Team Leader) and Samar Elias (ASD Parent Volunteer).
The first day began with a recital by Qatar’s famous oud player, Abdulaziz Al Haidos, and a presentation by author Julia Johnson on her book, The Pearl Diver. Johnson described how pearls are formed, harvested and sold. Her research, based on letters published 150 years ago, revealed that jellyfish used to be called “devil fish” and divers often wore cotton covering for protection. Students also learned that Gulf pearls even ended up decorating Queen Elizabeth II’s crown.
Sixth graders then interviewed nearly 30 Qatari residents or long-term residents with the purpose of collecting oral histories for student-created websites. “It is through these community collaborations that our students are given the opportunity to learn first hand about and celebrate Qatari culture,” said Middle School Associate Principal, Robert Gohr.
During the interviews, students heard stories about the once magical darkness now lost to downtown city lights.
One student exclaimed, “My interviewee would boil locusts and eat them like chips!” Another heard a fascinating tale about a pearl diver: “The people on the boat thought he was dead, so they started wrapping him up in cotton. They were about to throw him in the ocean, as they couldn’t go to shore for a proper burial. Suddenly he started moving; they removed the cloth. He was alive!”
On the second day, 150 students dressed in national Qatari attire and visited the Sheikh Faisal Museum to photograph artifacts related to the oral histories shared during the previous day’s interviews. The museum contains over 15,000 artifacts.
“Qatar History Day is a significant annual event for the American School of Doha,” declared ASD Director, Dr Deborah Welch. “We have great respect for our Qatari community members who meet with our students and talk about life in Qatar 25 years ago and before. Our students, indeed all of us, need to hear their stories and learn about important Qatari history, culture and traditions.”
The Peninsula
