- Title: IRAQ: Iraqi children mark Ramadan with games
- Date: 1st September 2010
- Summary: ZUBAIR, NEAR BASRA, IRAQ (RECENT) (REUTERS) NIGHT SHOT OF YOUNG CHILDREN RUNNING TOWARDS HOUSE IN TOWN OF ZUBAIR VARIOUS OF MAN DISTRIBUTING SWEETS TO CHILDREN CHILDREN KNOCKING DOOR OF A HOUSE MAN DISTRIBUTING SWEETS TO CHILDREN / CHILDREN SINGING RAMADAN SONG TO CELEBRATE QERQEAAN (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) OMAR MUSTAFA, CHILD PLAYING QERQEAAN, SAYING: "We gather here every year and knock on doors to receive the Qerqeaan (bag of assorted sweets). They give us the Qerqeaan when we go around all houses in the area. (Q: What do you sing?) We chant "Gergeaan O' Gergeaan". CHILDREN KNOCKING DOOR OF HOUSE SIGN READING "QERQEAAN PROJECT, ORGANISED BY AL-TAQWA INSTITUTION FOR HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS IN BASRA" BAGS OF SWEETS CHILDREN CHANTING IN THE BACK OF HALL / MEN SITTING ON PLASTIC CHAIRS BOYS DISTRIBUTING BAGS OF SWEETS TO CHILDREN CHILD HOLDING BAG MADE OF CLOTH WITH HIS NAME WRITTEN ON IT / CHILD LOOKING AT FRIEND MAN DISTRIBUTING BAGS OF SWEETS TO CHILDREN
- Embargoed: 16th September 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Iraq
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Religion
- Reuters ID: LVADCUN30X8TX3F1UV1SHCKX8QGF
- Story Text: For many children in the West, it's a matter of trick or treat. But for the sweet-toothed children of the Iraqi town of Zubair, it's one hundred percent treat.
Children in the small southern Iraqi town, near the oil-rich city of Basra, travel from house to house during the cool evenings to play the traditional Qerqeaan game, similar to Halloween's trick or treat.
Residents stock up on sweets to prepare for the children, who usually play Qerqeaan around the midway point of the holy lunar month of Ramadan, which this years runs until around September 10.
Iraqi adults have a traditional game of their own during the month called "Mhaibis". The game is played between two large teams, usually residents of neighbouring areas, in a bid to find one ring hidden in the dozens of clenched fists of the other team members.
"We gather here every year and knock on doors to receive the Qerqeaan (bag of assorted sweets). They give us the Qerqeaan when we go around all houses in the area," said Omar Mustafa, as he took a break along with his friends from knocking at the doors of homes in their neighbourhood.
Families caught out by surprise can offer small amounts of change as an alternative to placate the often rowdy groups, but adults not in the mood to play along sometimes splash the children with water.
The local Taqwa institution for Humanitarian Affairs has taken on the tradition this year with bags of sweets distributed to children and parents at a local hall.
Waqas al-Saadi, an organiser at the institute, said the project brought much-needed smiles back to the faces of children who have been surrounded by violence and general hardships for so long.
"The Qerqeaan project is a great project that we have known since the days of our fathers and ancestors in the town of Zubair. It brings joy to children and families in Zubair. We are also trying to make children happy by giving them some sweets despite the hard situation that we are living in," he said.
The game is also played across many parts of the Arab world but often under differing names. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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