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EveryParampara

Traditions of Riyadh

The capital of Saudi Arabia, where the sword dance, Arabic coffee and the date harvest are living customs.

Riyadh grew from the old oasis town of Diriyah, the home of the first Saudi state. Najdi traditions of hospitality, poetry and falconry remain close to the surface of daily life. The city is also the setting of the Janadriyah festival, a national celebration of heritage.

Riyadh: Riyadh Skyline is growing. Dated February 2018
Photo: B.alotaby, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Heritage and hospitality

The ardah, a sword dance performed by men in rows to drums and verse, is on the UNESCO list. Arabic coffee, gahwa, is poured from a long-spouted pot by the host with the left hand, into tiny cups, and guests shake the cup to signal that they have had enough. Falconry is a respected tradition.

At the table

Kabsa, spiced rice with lamb or chicken, is the national dish, often served on a shared tray on the floor. Dates, especially the soft Sukkari variety, are offered to every guest. In Ramadan, iftar begins with dates and water, and a large evening meal follows. Camel milk is also drunk.

Signature traditions of Riyadh

ArdahThe Saudi sword dance.Arabic coffeeThe coffee of the Arabian Peninsula.

Also part of it, and being written: Kabsa (The Saudi rice dish.), Falconry (The art of hunting with falcons.).

A trail idea for Riyadh

  1. Diriyah Walk the mud-brick old capital.
  2. Souq Al Zal Buy old coins, daggers and carpets.
  3. Masmak Fort A museum of the capture of Riyadh.
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
🇸🇦 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and 4 moreMajlis A traditional sitting room and community assembly for hospitality and civic counselEtiquette 🇸🇦 Jenadriyah, Saudi ArabiaJenadriyahمهرجان الجنادرية A two-week Saudi cultural festival of camel racing, folk dance, poetry, and craftsFestival 🇸🇦 Mecca, Saudi ArabiaUmrahعُمْرَة A pilgrimage to Mecca that Muslims may make at most times of year, unlike the HajjSpiritual

Photo credits on this page

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

The weekly EveryParampara

Every week: one tradition from somewhere new, what is being celebrated around the world this week, and one idea explained.