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EveryParampara

Traditions of Kuwait City

A Gulf trading city with a pearl-diving past, a diwaniya culture of evening talk and a rich sweet tradition.

Kuwait City grew as a port of traders, sailors and pearl divers. The diwaniya, a room or tent where men and increasingly women gather to talk politics and news, is a pillar of social life. The Sadu weaving of the Bedouin and the traditions of the sea, such as the fijiri songs, are still celebrated.

Kuwait City: View to the Skyline, Kuwait City, Kuwait
Photo: Zairon, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sea songs and diwaniya

Fijiri is a style of song of the pearl divers, sung with drums and clapping to give rhythm to work on boats. The diwaniya is a regular evening gathering with tea and talk. Hala Febrayer in February is a month of festivals, and Garangao in Ramadan is a children's night of treats.

At the table

Machboos with fish or chicken, and murabyan, a rice dish with shrimp, are everyday dishes. Balaleet, vermicelli with sweet egg, is a popular breakfast. Gers ogaily is a traditional cardamom cake, and tea with saffron is served to guests. Fresh fish is bought at the sea market.

Signature traditions of Kuwait City

FijiriPearl divers' music.

Also part of it, and being written: Diwaniya (The gathering room.), Balaleet (The sweet vermicelli breakfast.), Sadu (Bedouin weaving.).

A trail idea for Kuwait City

  1. Souq Al-Mubarakiya Browse the old market of spices and perfumes.
  2. Sadu House See Bedouin weavers at work.
  3. Fish market Look at the daily catch.
About this page

Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Opening hours, markets and festival dates change; check locally before travelling. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.

KindSpiritualFestivalRite of passageTable customSeasonalDressPerformanceEtiquetteCraftGameFolkloreHomeCeremony
MealBreakfastLunchDinnerSupperTea-time and snacking customsTea, coffee and drinking ceremoniesSweets given and sharedFeasts and festival mealsFasting and breaking the fast

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Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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