EL-TAYBEEN

Heritage troupe reviving Kuwait's golden days

Tracing back in time to the good old days when life was much slower, simpler, and perhaps more meaningful, the “El-Taybeen” troupe revives nostalgic scenes from the past by embodying traditional customs, inherited rituals and cultural art of their beloved homeland. “We are a group of family members and friends who have invested our energy into a non-profit initiative that aims to strengthen social cohesion and national identity and promote our cultural heritage,” said Eman El-Sharrah, head of the troupe.

According to Sharrah, the WURXSH·V QDPH LV LQVSLUHG E\ D SRSXODU $UDELF VD\LQJ ´.LQG SHRSOH DUH JRQH µ ZKHUH LW LV ZLGHO\ EHOLHYHG WKDW NLQGQHVV RQO\ EHORQJHG WR RXU JUDQGSDUHQWV DQG DQFHVWRUV 6R WKURXJK WKH FKHULVKHG PHPRU\ RI WKHVH ROG SHRSOH 6KDUUDK VWDUWHG WKLV WURXSH LQ WKH KRSH RI UHVWRULQJ WKH ORVW NLQGQHVV LQ WKH SUHVHQW ZRUOG DJDLQ

6KH KLJKOLJKWV WKH PDLQ JRDOV RI WKH WURXSH DUH WR OHDYH D UHDO LPSDFW RQ IXWXUH JHQHUDWLRQV E\ KHOSLQJ WKHP VWD\ PRUH FRQQHFWHG ZLWK WKHLU URRWV DQG VWURQJO\ KROG RQWR WKHLU LQKHULWHG VRFLHWDO YDOXHV FXVWRPV DQG WUDGLWLRQV WKDW UHÁHFW WKHLU GLVWLQFWLYH QRPDGLF $UDELF RULJLQV ´:H FRQVLGHU RXUVHOYHV D UHÁHFWLRQ RI WKH .XZDLWL IDPLO\ VRFLHW\ DQG WKH HQWLUH QDWLRQ WKDW LV NHHQ WR VSUHDG WKH YDOXHV HPEHGGHG LQ RXU URRWV DQG DGRSW WKHP IRU OHDGLQJ D EHWWHU IXWXUH IRU RXU FRXQWU\ µ 6KDUUDK QRWHG

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

(O 7D\EHHQ·V HIIRUWV KDYH HYHQ H[WHQGHG WR VRFLDOO\ UHVSRQVLEOH LQLWLDWLYHV E\ WDNLQJ SDUW LQ FKDULWDEOH HYHQWV KROGLQJ VKRZV LQ ROG DJH KRPHV DQG RWKHU RUJDQL]DWLRQV IRU WKH GLVDEOHG UHÁHFWLQJ D KROLVWLF DSSURDFK WR FRPPXQLW\ HQJDJHPHQW ´2XU SXUSRVH LV WR JLYH EDFN WR RXU KRPHODQG DV ZH EHOLHYH LW·V WLPH IRU HYHU\ LQGLYLGXDO WR UHDOL]H WKDW WKH\ VKRXOG KDYH DQ DFWLYH UROH LQ IRVWHULQJ JURZWK LQ DOO DVSHFWV RI VRFLHW\ µ 6KDUUDK QRWHG

:KRHYHU REVHUYHV WKH VWHSV WDNHQ E\ WKH WURXSH DQG QRWLFHV their concern in capturing the HVVHQFH RI WKH FRXQWU\ LQ DOO WKH OLWWOH GHWDLOV RI WKHLU VKRZV ZLOO NQRZ WKDW WKLV JURXS RI SHRSOH LVQ·W MXVW ZRUNLQJ WR NHHS WKHPVHOYHV EXV\ EXW LV JHQXLQHO\ DLPLQJ WR OHDYH DQ XQIRUJHWWDEOH PHVVDJH IRU WKH ZRUOG SURPRWLQJ WKH YDOXHV RI XQFRQGLWLRQDO ORYH DQG OR\DOW\ WRZDUGV .XZDLW

A board displays the name of the El-Taybeen troupe.

A woman carrying a bundle on her head is seen with a girl wearing traditional Kuwaiti dress.

Representation of an old store in Kuwait.

A woman holds a basket of Girgian, a mix of candies and sweets.

Derbaha, an old toy wheel that children used to play with in the past.

A man practicing the traditional craft of breaking and selling ice.

A woman serves jameed, traditional Kuwaiti food.

A man holds an old gas lantern. — All photos from the troupe’s shows

A boy playing with al kavood, a toy made from palm trunk.